Living Fiction
by mikotyzini
Summary: It was years ago that Yang caught Blake's attention, but the two of them were never able to connect - at least, not in the way Blake wanted. That's about to change, as a well-kept secret throws the two of them together on an incredible journey. (This story was written for Bumblebee Week.)
1. Introduction

**Hi everyone! Bumblebee week starts tomorrow (you can follow bmblbweek on tumblr) and I've written - or tried to write - one cohesive story for it. In case you're unfamiliar with how the ship weeks work (as I was not too long ago) there are prompts for each day that people create all sorts of works for. This first chapter is just an introduction to the week. Here are the rest of the prompts:**

 **Day 1 - Springtime  
Day 2 - Sun/moon  
Day 3 - Domestic  
Day 4 - Beauty and the Beast  
Day 5 - AU  
Day 6 - Realization  
Day 7 - First kiss  
Day 8 - Free day**

 **Also, thank you dorky-fish-doodles for the cover (you can follow them on tumblr) and MartunaMajor for the beta help!**

* * *

"Um...sorry to bother you..."

Sticking one finger to the page to mark her place, Blake looked up and found a young girl approaching the front desk. From the expression on her face and the hesitant comment, she was worried that she was inconveniencing Blake in some way. Under ordinary circumstances she might be, but when Blake was sitting at the reception desk it was her responsibility to field questions.

"How can I help you?" she asked, going as far as to close the book to make it clear that the incoming request would have her complete attention.

"I think so...I'm looking for this book for a history report." As she spoke, the girl handed Blake a small piece of paper that had several words and numbers scrawled across it. Turning it around and reading the title with its accompanying shelf number, Blake nodded and pointed off to her right.

"It's going to be in that second aisle right there," she explained, gesturing with one hand while returning the piece of paper. "The third bookcase on the left, fourth shelf from the bottom."

Narrowing her eyes and mouthing the directions to herself, the girl eventually nodded and smiled.

"Thanks!" she said before heading the way she'd been directed.

After making sure the girl walked into the correct aisle, Blake flipped her book open, found her spot on the page, and continued reading.

Working at the campus library was an easy job. Sitting at the reception desk, she pointed students in the right direction for specific textbooks and coordinated sign-ups for the study rooms lining the walls of the building - prime meeting spots for students who needed to work on group projects.

But mostly, she read her own books and worked on her own homework while waiting for anyone to need her help. It was this freedom that had drawn her to the position to begin with. Well, that and needing a job to help with some of the costs of attending school here.

Admittedly, being paid to read was basically her dream job. If she had to help out a few fellow students every once in a while, that was a small sacrifice to make.

Reaching the end of the chapter, she glanced at the clock and - when she saw what time it was - decided not to move on. It was right after dinner on a Wednesday, which probably wasn't a very special time for most people. In fact, Wednesday was only the fifth best day of the week (narrowly beating Monday and Tuesday) - there were still two full days until the weekend, most tests or big projects fell on Thursday or Friday, and very few social events would happen on campus.

Those reasons mattered very little to Blake though. Wednesday evening meant it was time to close her book, set it off to the side, and try to convince her heart to stop speeding up in anticipation of what was going to happen soon.

She was hesitant to call this her _favorite_ part of the week - doing so would only make the rest of her week sound incredibly drab and boring. There were other times she highly enjoyed - like reading or spending time with a few close friends on the weekend - but it was _this_ particular moment that she...looked forward to. It was exciting in a way that the rest of her week was not. It was exhilarating, even - which was the first time she could apply that term to real life. It wasn't a word she used lightly either, being saved only for the books she read, and for the approaching weekly occasion.

It would last a few minutes at most, but the short amount of time did nothing to prevent her eyes from flitting towards the entrance of the library every few seconds. Students from every year were filtering in and out, unaware of her expectation as fragments of their conversations reached her ears. Progress made on a group paper, plans for the weekend, grades on a recent exam - it was a typical university library, filled with typical university students.

Except one.

Blake heard the distinct voice before the door even opened, filtering in from outside and catching her attention as easily as someone waving a hand in front of her face. She always told herself that she would play it cool - that she would keep her eyes focused on the notebook she had open in front of her - but she always failed. Turning to the left, she watched with bated breath as the next group of students walked into the library.

And the best - most exciting, most anticipated, most thrilling - part of Blake's week finally arrived.

Her name was Yang Xiao Long and she was, unequivocally, the most beautiful girl in the entire school. There must be thousands of students enrolled at Vale University, but Yang outshone them all. With gorgeous blonde hair that fell in waves down her back, vibrant lilac eyes that sparkled in the light, a cheerful grin and even more magical smile...Yang had a magnetic aura that was unlike anyone else Blake had ever met.

Yang was the star of campus - the one sought after for every big party or event, the one whose name was scratched into far too many desks along with hearts or proclamations of love, and the one person who everyone at the school was almost guaranteed to know.

Because she was immensely popular, she was constantly surrounded by a group of friends or even larger group of gawkers. But for this one short moment in time, every Wednesday after dinner, her sole attention would be fixed upon Blake.

Breaking away from the two girls she'd come in with (who Blake recognized as two stars of the track and field team), Yang walked over to the desk. Maybe it was more appropriate to say that she sauntered, as normal walking couldn't possibly draw so much attention. And, while she'd already been wearing a smile, that smile grew when her eyes trained upon Blake - the friendliest of expressions one could ever hope to find.

"Hey!" Yang said, managing to call out in a voice that was soft enough to keep the peace and quiet of the library intact. "If it isn't my favorite library worker. How're you doing?"

If this was the way Yang greeted everyone, it was easy to see why she was adored around campus.

"Hi, Yang..." As much as she wanted to stare, Blake averted her eyes from the bright smile. "I'm doing ok. How are you?"

"Fantastic!"

When Yang said the word with such confidence, Blake couldn't help but to smile and hope that the heat in her cheeks didn't mean a blush was already surfacing. This seemed like the point in the conversation where she should ask a follow-up question, but her mind was completely blank. All she could think about was how Yang's eyes were watching her, almost as if they could see right through her. She sincerely hoped that wasn't the case, because then Yang would see her scrambling to find another topic to talk about.

"Uh, so...how's the library biz treating you?" Yang finally asked, shifting the strap of her bag on her shoulder but smiling all the same.

"Pretty much the same as usual," Blake answered. "People coming in to study or...look for books..."

Again, the conversation stalled, and Blake's personal discomfort rose as she imagined Yang's did the same. But if Yang was uncomfortable, she hid it behind a smile that never wavered.

"I guess normal is good," she said, shooting a glance towards her friends before locking onto Blake's gaze once more. "I was wondering if there's a room we could use?" she asked, pointing towards the other side of the library. "Hopefully that one?"

It was an open secret between the two of them that Yang always wanted to use Study Room #8 if it was available. In lieu of an official explanation for such a specific request, she'd made an offhand remark about how her lucky number was eight. That was a good enough reason for Blake. Plus, she preferred for Yang to use that room: it was the easiest to covertly steal glances into from the front desk.

In the end, Yang's preference worked to both of their benefits. Fortunately, since Blake was the one in charge of assigning rooms to students who wanted to reserve them, she exerted a fair amount of control over which groups went where.

Essentially, she made sure Study Room #8 was always available at this time on Wednesday.

"Number eight _is_ open," she replied, turning the book filled with room reservations around so Yang could fill out the information the library required of them.

"Must be my lucky day." After sending Blake a wink, Yang grabbed a pen off the desk and wrote her details in the appropriate boxes. "There you go!" she said once she put the ending flourish on her signature. "Need anything else from me?"

When Yang smiled again, it felt like she was inviting Blake to continue the conversation. It was an opportunity Blake might have taken if she could think of anything to say. Instead, she shook her head.

"That's all we need," she said, trying and failing to come up with anything better. "Let me know if you need help with anything else?"

"Will do." Yang turned to leave but suddenly stopped. "Oh, dang, almost stole your pen." Setting the pen on top of the notebook, Yang gave Blake one last smile. "Thanks for being so helpful!"

"No problem," Blake muttered, resisting the urge to bury her face in her hands in embarrassment while Yang walked back to her friends – who'd waited near the door this entire time. Blake never quite understood why they didn't come over to the desk too, but also didn't mind that they decided to maintain a distance and chat amongst themselves. It made Yang and Blake's moment feel more private, for the short amount of time it lasted.

After a quick nod from Yang, the three of them headed into the room they'd reserved for the next couple of hours. As they settled in, pulling out notebooks and textbooks from their bags, Blake began the process of dissecting the interaction that had just occurred and mentally kicking herself for the opportunities she'd missed.

Why couldn't she think of something funny to say, or witty to ask?

Or, forget being funny or witty. There were so many innocuous questions that could extend the conversation - how are exams going? Any classes you really like or hate? Best professors? Weekend plans? Asking _any_ of those would have been better than what she'd just done.

It was easy to hold a conversation in her mind. By this point, the two of them had shared hundreds of seamless, imaginary conversations - all of them where Blake was witty or charming or made an interesting remark or two. But when it came to the real moment, she was either too nervous or too... _something_...to speak like she normally did.

It usually wasn't so difficult to find subjects to talk about. With friends, classmates, coworkers, professors...it was a simple and relatively painless task to continue a friendly conversation. But when it came to Yang, she froze up.

Maybe this happened because they had nothing in common. They went to the same school, were in the same year, had some of the same classes…

Well, maybe they had _some_ things in common, but they were on opposite ends of the social spectrum. What common ground did they share? Would Yang be interested in discussing books? That seemed rather doubtful...especially considering that she didn't seem like the type who would read for pleasure.

Sighing as a portion of her anticipation was replaced with regret, Blake did her best to moderate the number of times she glanced into the study room across the library. Instead of checking up on the newest arrivals, she attempted to focus on her work - not that there was much to do. As a student helper, her job was to do exactly that - help students. When no students needed help, her job was to sit there and read. And, on Wednesday evenings, to subtly send glances towards Study Room #8...while wishing she was more adept at leading a conversation.

Why did this matter so much? So she wasn't friends with the most popular girl in the school - that really wasn't a surprise considering how she never sought out that type of popularity for herself. Plus, she'd never liked being a blind member of 'the crowd' - chasing ways to earn respect and recognition from her peers.

For Yang, she made an exception. However, her fascination hadn't begun because of Yang's appearance (although she'd be lying if she said that wasn't a _bit_ of a factor). Rather, her interest was captured in their very first semester after a moment she witnessed firsthand.

It was a core class - macroeconomics. Arriving early, Blake had picked a seat in the last row like she normally did. She liked the vantage point from the back of the classroom, plus, she'd never had any issues seeing the board like other students.

There had been a few other familiar faces around her, one being a boy from her high school that she'd only known to be...a bit weird. From the way the other students actively chose seats away from his, Blake assumed that she wasn't the only one who could sense that vibe coming from him. It wasn't that he was mean. He was just...weird. And so, he sat on his own in one of the middle rows, off to the far side where it would be easy for him to escape at the end of class.

For all intents and purposes, it seemed like it would be just another class filled with first-year students who would be no more than strangers at the end of the semester. But then Yang arrived.

Blake had actually turned around in search of the happy voice as it filtered through the door and had been rather stunned by the person who walked inside.

Yang already had a group of friends, of course, and she was chatting with them, motioning with her hands while they laughed at whatever joke she was telling. When it came time to pick seats, her friends wanted to sit in one corner of the class - forming their own little clique that would be unapproachable in terms of beauty - but Yang scanned the room and then smiled.

Blake could still remember exactly what Yang's response had been - "Naw, come on. Let's sit over here."

Her friends had no choice but to follow as Yang plopped herself in the seat next to the boy no one else wanted to sit next to. Yang's friends were far less sure about the choice of seating, but they wanted to sit close to Yang, so they sat down on her other side. And the boy looked over in complete surprise when Yang introduced herself.

It was at that moment when Blake realized she'd just discovered both the prettiest and _kindest_ girl in the school. Even if Blake's initial conclusion was hasty, Yang went on to prove its correctness over the course of the semester. She never switched seats, and it looked like she and the boy became good friends by the time the final exam rolled around.

In addition to learning about macroeconomics, Blake learned a lot about Yang through observing her interactions with others in their class. And, sometimes Yang would turn around and look towards the back of the class. Whenever she did so, she always managed to catch Blake's eyes for a split second - and it was those few seconds that built the sense of anticipation Blake carried with her to this day.

Ever since then she'd searched for opportunities to talk to Yang, but they belonged to different social spheres, to say the least. It was only after she started this job that they could, briefly on Wednesdays, share a moment that was probably meaningless to Yang - especially meaningless because, thus far, Blake had failed to make any type of impression.

Week after week passed with nothing more than the most incremental of incremental steps. They were on a first name basis now, and Yang always referred to Blake's position at the library in a complimentary way, but other than that...they could hardly be called friends at this point - they were stubbornly stuck at acquaintances.

Resigned to the utter lack of progress, Blake pulled over the stack of books she'd collected for herself before starting work earlier that day. It was an assortment of novels from an assortment of genres, but she'd read them all at least once before - and some more than once.

Turning the spines towards her so the titles were readable, her eyes scanned from top to bottom before nodding to herself. Satisfied that the books were stacked in the proper order, she spun in her chair and grabbed her bag off of the floor beside her. Reaching inside, she pulled out a long case made of thin aluminum that held her favorite set of bookmarks.

When she found them at a thrift store several months ago, she'd fallen in love with the designs. Each featured a prominent color that was swirled in different shades and intricate patterns that created a nearly undetectable number hidden within. Featuring the numbers one through seven, Blake initially thought it was clever to have one bookmark for every day of the week; at the pace she read, it made sense too.

These days, she wished she had more than seven.

After picking out the bookmark with the number one on it - designed in a gorgeous gold that made her skin tingle - she grabbed the first book from her stack. Flipping through, she found the chapter she was searching for before sticking the bookmark between the pages and setting the book aside. She repeated the process with the second bookmark - this one a royal purple that had quickly become one of her favorite colors. Moving steadily through her stack of books and stack of bookmarks, she was mindful to handle each one carefully while completing the entire list.

Seven bookmarks, seven books, seven chapters.

By stringing different stories together, she was attempting to create a unique experience that went beyond the constraints of a singular novel. Sometimes, the chapters came together to form a somewhat cohesive story - other times, they didn't. Either way, it was enjoyable to combine various moments from various chapters and live them close together rather than completing a story in full before moving on.

With the course of creation completed, she neatly re-stacked the books - that beautiful gold bookmark sticking out of the top book. She reached out for it, her expectation rising, but paused when an abrupt motion caught her eye.

Yang had just shot out of her seat and was walking backward towards the door. Her friends were talking, but it looked like they were teasing her based on their smiles. Yang said something and they burst into laughter, the sound filtering through the door when Yang opened it and stepped into the main portion of the library.

Immediately dropping her hand, Blake watched as Yang walked towards her. Her heart was speeding up again - the unintended consequence of an unexpected visit after their initial moment had passed.

"Hey," Yang said in a quiet voice - the perfect voice to use in a library, which was only one of the many traits Blake appreciated about Yang.

"Hi."

The answer felt too short, especially when Yang rested one hand on top of the desk and smiled. Clearing her throat, Blake added, "Can I help you with something?"

"Oh, uh, yeah. My friend needs a red pen for this assignment she's working on but forgot to bring one. I was wondering if you had one she could borrow?"

The answer was mildly disappointing, but what had Blake expected? It was her job to help with these types of requests.

"There should be one around here somewhere." Scooting backward, she pulled open several drawers in search of a red pen. There was normally an assortment of pens and other supplies left behind or abandoned by students and other workers. "Ah, here's one."

Pulling the pen from a drawer, Blake tried it out on a piece of paper before handing it to Yang, who took it with a smile.

"Thanks! You're a lifesaver."

Under Yang's unwavering smile, Blake felt like this was another moment when she should say _something_ to keep the conversation going, but before she could say anything Yang spoke again.

"Uh, so do you like working here?" she asked, motioning towards the bookshelves surrounding them.

"It's not bad. It's quiet and I can work on homework or read when it's not busy."

"Or when people aren't bugging you, huh?" Yang chuckled, but Blake shook her head at the implication.

"I don't mind."

The reply seemed to put Yang more at ease, as her eyes drifted around Blake's workspace before landing upon the stack of books.

"You're going to read all of these?"

"You could say that."

Blake's nerves exploded when Yang took further interest in the books. Part of her wanted to reach out and pull them closer for protection, but another part said that doing so would only make this interaction more uncomfortable than it already was.

Tilting her head, Yang leaned closer to read the title running across the top book.

"Oh hey! I've totally heard of this one!"

When Yang suddenly reached towards it, Blake sprang into motion.

"Wait -!" was all she got out, practically diving forward in an attempt to knock Yang's hand away. She was a second too late, and both of their hands hit the title of the book at the same time.

All of a sudden, the bookshelves and walls of the library were gone. The fluorescent lights, the tables and chairs, the study rooms, the reception desk - all gone.

But Yang was still here.

"Oh god…" Blake said, internally panicking while Yang looked around in astonishment.

"Uh...where are we?" she asked, turning to Blake for an answer. Unfortunately, Blake had one - but it was not at all believable.

"We're in the book."


	2. Chapter 1 - Springtime

**Welcome (officially) to Bumblebee Week. :D**

* * *

For the longest time, Yang just stared. A light breeze rustled through her hair, the sound of waves breaking on the sand drifted past their ears, a seagull called out in the distance...and Yang stared.

"Um, _what?_ " she finally asked, waving one of her arms as she did so.

Mortally embarrassed might be a good way to explain what Blake was feeling right now. That, and extremely concerned. A few seconds ago she'd only worried about making a good impression, but what type of impression could this possibly be?

She'd wanted the opportunity to talk to Yang for more than a few minutes at a time, and the universe had granted her wish. Too late, she wished that they could spend time together in a way that _wouldn't_ make her look absolutely insane.

"We're in the book," she repeated. Again, Yang stared back before scoffing in disbelief.

"You're messing with me, right? Like, this is just...a joke…"

That might be what Yang wanted to believe, but as she spun in a slow circle she surely answered the question for herself.

If this was just a joke, it was one of the most elaborate ones Blake had ever heard of - not to mention, pretty near impossible to pull off. How could someone so abruptly transform a college library into a field of blooming wildflowers that ran all the way to a cliff towering above a bright, blue sea expanding across the horizon?

That would be just as impossible as stepping into a novel…

"I'm sorry. It's not a joke."

Watching Yang's eyes search far and wide for a familiar landmark, Blake remembered what it felt like the first time she experienced this confusion for herself. It was abrupt, jarring, and more than a little scary - along with being unexpected, surreal, and downright unbelievable.

"It's ok," Blake added, stepping forward and hoping to calm Yang down as her eyes darted this way and that. "We're not stuck here. We're only here for now."

Fortunately, Yang was still composed enough to hear Blake's words and respond.

"Ok, so if we're not stuck here, then you know how to get out?"

When Yang shot a questioning glance her way, Blake took a deep breath and nodded. "We can get out, we just need to wait -"

"Wait for what?" Yang interrupted, spinning in another circle and throwing both hands in the air when all she found was blue sky, flowers, and an endless ocean. "How is this even possible?"

"We have to wait for the end of the chapter," Blake explained before she remembered something that nearly made her groan out loud. "We have to wait for a few chapters…"

"A few? How many's a few?"

"Seven…"

Having set all seven bookmarks in place, Blake had locked them into the sequence of chapters they were about to embark upon. Leaving would be easy, but only after the seven chapters ran their course.

Honestly, she hadn't known that it was even possible for a second person to join her on these journeys. Not that she would've offered the experience to anyone in the first place because explaining the situation would make her sound crazy, and then that person would look at her exactly like Yang was right now.

"I don't...get this..." Eyes darting around the beautiful spring landscape, Yang ran one hand through her hair. "We were _just_ in the library."

Trying to figure out how to respond, Blake spotted two people off in the distance. Not exactly how she'd anticipated this happening…

"I know this will sound…" Blake raised her hands and skipped the word - Yang knew what it was. "But several months ago I found this set of bookmarks - a special set of bookmarks. When I put them in a book and tap the title, I can experience the chapter in person - like this." Blake waved her hands at the meadow they were currently standing in. "And if I use more than one bookmark, it will play through the chapters one-by-one in the order I decide."

Again, Yang stared while the explanation slowly settled over her.

"So we're...in the book…"

"Yes."

"Because...you have bookmarks that let you do this…"

Again, Blake nodded her head and responded with a clear, "Yes."

Running a hand through her long, blonde hair, Yang chuckled and shook her head. "Ok…" she muttered to herself while looking out over the sea. "So the hot girl at the library has magic bookmarks…"

Unsure that she heard that correctly, Blake tilted her head to the side and asked, "What?"

"So you have magic bookmarks!" Yang repeated in a louder voice. "That's...uh, unexpected. But cool. I guess…"

There were worse ways Yang could be taking the news. She could be running for the hills while screaming her head off, or she could be angry that Blake had allowed this to happen at all. Not that this was remotely close to anything Blake had wanted to happen _ever_. Admittedly, she should've been more careful, but she never would've guessed that Yang would try to pick up the book.

The lesson had been learned - a bit late - and now they'd both live through the consequences.

The sound of laughter drifted past them then, and Yang immediately perked up and sought out the source of the noise. Turning away from the ocean, she quickly caught sight of the story headed their way.

"Wait, there are other people here!"

"They can't see us," Blake said before Yang tried to call out. "They're characters in the book, and we're only observers."

With wide eyes, Yang watched a man and his small daughter race across the meadow. The young girl skipping through the wildflowers was wearing a pretty purple dress, with a matching purple ribbon holding back her white-blonde curls. She was barefoot, but the soft grass posed no threat to her tender feet. It was her light giggle that kept breaking across the field, interrupting the sound of the ocean with ease.

Her father was still youthful and vibrant, unable to keep a smile from his lips as he chased after his daughter. In one hand, he was holding the flowers she'd given him earlier, which he would put in a vase on their kitchen table when they eventually made it home.

As the pair drew closer, Blake sensed Yang stiffen in anticipation.

"Are you sure they can't see us?" Yang asked, her voice hardly above a whisper.

"I'm sure. They can't see, hear us, or come into contact with us in any way."

Blake's words were proven correct when the little girl raced right by them - running so close that Yang took a hasty step backward - and stepped on Blake's foot in the process.

"Ouch -"

"Oh crap. I'm so sorry!" Extending her arms, Yang looked like she wanted to help Blake - while also intently watching the little girl race away from them. Meanwhile, Blake waved off Yang's concern over her foot – which would survive the unfortunate trouncing. At least that answered the question of whether the two of them could come into contact while in the stories…

"Violet!" the man called out, taking long strides to catch up. "Remember - not too close to the edge."

Dropping her arms, Yang turned and gawked while he also rushed past without acknowledging their existence - which was exactly the way it _should_ be seeing as how the two of them didn't exist in this realm.

"We're observers," Blake repeated. "They're not going to notice us."

Mumbling what sounded suspiciously like an expletive under her breath, Yang shook her head and looked at Blake in amazement.

"How are you so calm?"

Calm? Blake certainly didn't _feel_ calm right now, as her heart raced with both worry and concern about the unexpected situation. She'd wanted to _talk_ to Yang, not force her to participate in something that Blake herself could hardly explain.

"Well, I've...done this before," she managed to respond, opting for an honest answer. While Yang continued to stare at her, Blake smiled and tried to think of a way to save the situation.

The two of them were stuck together until the chapters ended, so maybe Yang would be willing to watch the stories unfold? Although, if Blake had known she would have company, she would've chosen a completely different set of plotlines for them to experience...

"Do you want to see what they're doing?" she asked anyway, gesturing towards the seacliff before quickly adding, "Or we can stay right here until the chapter ends. Whichever you prefer."

As the offer hung in the air, Blake watched Yang come to a decision, lightly furrowing her brow while staring after the characters who had recently passed them by.

"We're stuck here anyway, aren't we?" she eventually asked. When Blake nodded, Yang nodded in turn. "Ok...then...I guess we should check it out."

"You don't have to -"

"Nope," Yang cut Blake's last effort off with a shake of her head and a bright smile. "Freaking out over here is the same as freaking out over there. You might as well get to watch your story while I do that."

Considering the circumstances, the response was surprisingly thoughtful. It was _so_ thoughtful that Blake initially wondered if Yang was merely being sarcastic. But when there was no follow up other than the warm smile, Blake took the words at face value.

"Umm...ok. Thank you."

With a small smile of her own, Blake walked towards the sea while Yang fell into step beside her. The ocean breeze stiffened the closer they drew to the edge of the cliff, bending the spring flowers under its force before easing and allowing the gentle plants to stand straight again.

It was while they walked that Blake felt the clear lack of comfort that came with being near a person who was essentially a stranger - a stranger that she'd been sneaking glances at for quite some time. Fortunately, if Yang was uncomfortable it was impossible to tell while she looked in every direction in amazement. Taking a deep breath, Blake sighed out the pleasant, fragrant air. Flowers and ocean...two peaceful, wonderful scents that partially eased her heightened state of apprehension.

In front, walking close but not too close to the ledge, were the two characters that had passed earlier.

"What are they doing?" Yang leaned close to Blake to ask the hushed question as they neared the edge of the cliff themselves.

"They're just talking," Blake answered, her own voice a whisper even though she knew there was no need for such a quiet tone. But with Yang whispering, it felt awkward to speak any louder in response.

"- then make dinner with Mommy!" the little girl was saying, picking her way along the edge while her father held her hand.

"That sounds like a good day," he replied, smiling down at her. "But what about Rusty? I thought you were supposed to spend time with him."

"Do I haveeee tooo?"

When he laughed at the whine, Blake smiled and motioned for Yang to stop as the characters did the same. Turning towards his daughter, Violet's father knelt down on the ground so he could look up into her eyes. Her lower lip was stuck out in a pout, but he only smiled while sliding one of the wildflowers she'd picked into her hair above her ear.

"Rusty will be very important to you one day," he said, situating the purple flower in place before tapping the tip of her nose. "The more time you spend with him now, the closer you'll become and the better the future will be."

"But he doesn't like me…"

"But he _will_ like you. You just need to be patient - give him time to get to know you better. Let him see how sweet and kind you are." Reaching out, he lightly tickled Violet's sides and got her to smile as she tried to wiggle away. Thinking long and hard about what her father said, she eventually nodded her head.

"Ok...then I'll spend time with Rusty, too."

"Good girl," he replied, standing up and reaching down to take her hand once more.

"Wait," Yang whispered, nudging Blake's arm. "Who the hell is Rusty?"

"You'll see," Blake answered, smiling at Yang's miffed expression. But the story was moving on without them, so they hurried to catch up.

This was one of the first free days he'd had in a while, and Violet's father was happy to spend the time ambling aimlessly with his favorite person in the world. With his many other responsibilities, it wasn't often he had as much time as he wanted to devote to his daughter.

"I still can't believe this," Yang muttered while she and Blake trailed behind the pair. "We were just in the library...now we're chillin' at the beach."

On Blake's part - she'd just been at work, prepared to venture through another few chapters on her own, and now she was strolling through a field of flowers with the most popular girl on campus - who, up until a few minutes ago, had had _no_ idea this was even possible.

"I know it's pretty shocking, but it _will_ be ok," Blake said, doing her best to provide reassurance. When she earned Yang's gaze in response, her heart did a little flip in her chest as she quickly turned her attention back to the two characters strolling in front of them.

Everything _would_ be ok...once the chapters ran their course. Until then, Blake would do her best to shepherd Yang through this experience. On the plus side, she was finding it much easier to think of things to say now that she felt compelled to keep Yang from flipping out.

Pausing up ahead, Violet's father looked towards the water while his daughter stopped by his side.

"Can you smell the air?" he asked. Lifting his nose, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before exhaling with a sad smile. "Spring is here."

"You have to leave soon…"

Watching his expression fill with sorrow at the words, Blake's own heart cracked with sadness. Violet was looking down at the ground now, unwilling to meet her father's gaze while she gently kicked one foot across the ground.

"You know it's my duty," he said, swallowing thickly as he thought about leaving his family once again. "But it will only be for the summer, and I'll be back before you know it."

Violet took her father's reassurance in stride, breaking into a smile as she hopped around to stand in front of him.

"When you get back, Rusty and I will be best friends!" she exclaimed, beaming at the words she knew would make her father smile with pride.

"Are you sure about that?" Reaching down, he picked her up and held her comfortably at his side while looking up into her eyes.

"Extra positive! Then I can come with you!" she said, excited about the idea even though it made him pause.

"One day...yes," he replied slowly. "But before then, you need to grow stronger - you and Rusty together."

Convinced, she nodded her head with as much conviction as a child could muster. With Violet in happy agreement, Blake caught Yang's eyes and found that she was watching the entire interaction with her brow creased in concern.

"What happens in the spring?" Yang asked, again whispering as she glanced at Blake before turning back to Violet. "Why does he have to leave?"

"Can I see Ember?" Violet asked before Blake could answer, happily kicking her legs while held in her father's arms.

"Ember?" he repeated, giving her a playfully curious expression. "What on earth would you want to see her for?"

"To see old Rusty!"

Laughing at the response, he carefully set Violet on the ground and turned his back to the ocean.

"One day, this will be you and Rusty," he directed down to his daughter before closing his eyes in concentration.

"Get ready," Blake said, nudging Yang forward so they were standing right beside their main characters.

"Ready? Get ready for what?"

Nodding towards the sky, Blake found that the end of the first chapter was swiftly approaching - swooping down from the clouds and closing fast. It started as nothing more than a black dot, but that black dot grew bigger and bigger, expanding as long wings, a bony head, and a scaly tail came into view. In no time at all, that little black dot became a massive creature that plummeted to the ground in front of them.

"Holy sh-!" was all Yang got out as she stumbled backward - nearly tripping herself if Blake hadn't reached out and grabbed her arm at the last second.

Violet squealed with excitement as the creature landed before them, causing the ground to tremble beneath their feet with a reverberating _thump_.

"What the -!" Yang exclaimed while Violet's father took her by the hand and led her over to the new arrival. "That's a freaking dragon!"

It _was_ a dragon - and Blake never got tired of seeing them in person. They were different from novel to novel - they came in all kinds of different colors, shapes, and sizes. Some were massive creatures that seemed too large to fly, some were small, sleek, and perfect for aerial acrobatics.

This particular iteration towered above them - its wide, leathery wings folded against its dark-amber body while waiting for her bonded human to approach. Razor-sharp claws dug into the ground with ease, and a long tail was covered in a line of sharp, bony scales that ran all the way to the tip. A colossal, horned head swung this way and that - a ceaseless pattern that seemed to be a restless search for enemies.

"It is," Blake replied, taking a step towards the creature only to be stopped when Yang grabbed her by the arm.

"Are you freaking crazy? That thing'll snap you in half!"

"Maybe, but we're not a part of the story, remember?" When Yang stared in surprise and refused to drop Blake's arm, Blake nodded towards the dragon with a reassuring smile. "Come see."

"Emberrrr…" the man cooed to the beast, raising one hand to touch the side of Ember's head. "You remember Violet, don't you?"

"She's not scared, see?" Blake said, gesturing towards Violet, who was standing fearlessly by her father's side while Ember sniffed at her shirt.

"She's pretty!" Violet said, reaching up to touch the dragon only for it to jerk its head back.

"Woah, woah there. Slow movements, remember. Nice...slow...movements..." Taking Violet's hands in his own, he guided her as Ember slowly approached for another attempt.

"Look at her…" Blake mused, taking in the burnt red-orange scales and wings. Ember shifted then, her giant claws sinking into the ground as she resituated herself. "Isn't she beautiful?" Blake asked, turning around and finding Yang staring at her like she had two heads.

"Will Rusty look like this when he's bigger?" Violet asked, her hand successfully grazing the scales on Ember's head.

"Probably a darker red," her father answered, patting the top of Ember's head and giving his best friend and traveling companion an adoring smile. "But yes, he'll look much like this."

Feeling a presence by her side, Blake turned and found that Yang had finally joined her.

"You're not scared?" Yang asked, turning towards Blake.

"No," she answered easily. "We have no reason to be. We're not part of this story - observers only, remember?"

When Yang looked impressed by the answer, Blake gestured for Yang to follow and walked to the front of the dragon. Ember's head was laying on the ground now, flattening the grass while Violet and her father knelt down on one side.

"Does she know?" Violet asked while touching the tip of Ember's nose. "That she has to leave soon?"

"Yes. She can sense the change in the weather, too. She knows we'll be leaving the isle soon."

Violet frowned at the thought, but she quickly brightened when an idea popped into her head.

"Will you fly her?"

"If you promise to sit right here and not move," he answered, nodding when Violet immediately plopped down amongst the wildflowers.

Patting Ember's head, he walked past Yang and Blake and used the single rung strapped around the dragon's middle to boost himself up into a saddle. He hardly settled in before the beast took to the skies, a heavy wave of wind blowing across Blake as powerful wings propelled the creature and its rider skyward. Blake watched the dragon fly over the meadow, admiring its grace in the absence of true beauty.

"That's a freaking dragon…" Yang said under her breath, still staring after the faint, dark shape as it did intricate cartwheels in the sky. For her massive size, Ember was still able to move quite deftly in the air. Prompted to fold her wings, she could drop quickly before spreading them out and instantly sending herself skyward one more. Through these rapid changes in elevation, sleek dips, and sharp turns, Ember and her rider showed themselves to be both skilled and agile - true forces to be reckoned with.

After several minutes of aerial acrobatics, which the three of them watched with joy, fascination, or shock, the beast slowly turned towards them - and gained more and more speed as it swept across the plain.

"Uh…" was all Yang got out as Ember bore down on them at a remarkable speed, not diverging from the collision course.

"Duck," Blake said, ducking her head as the dragon whizzed a mere foot above them, sending a sharp breeze across the meadow before using those strong wings to propel back into the air.

While Blake and Yang looked after Ember in surprise, Violet laughed joyfully while her father showed off his tremendous flying capabilities. For such a young girl, she already had big plans for her future - plans that grew larger every time she saw her father fly.

Swooping through the air in a lazy circle, Ember landed in front of them a short time later and Violet's father quickly disembarked.

"Good girl," he whispered, patting Ember's side before walking to his daughter. "How was that?" he asked, earning himself a round of enthusiastic clapping.

"I wanna be just like you!" Violet said, raising her arms in a gesture that begged to be picked up.

"Do you?" he asked while giving in to her silent request. "That means you've got a lot of work to do."

"But you'll help me!"

"I'll help you for as long as I can," he replied, smiling up at Violet before giving Ember one last pat on the head. "Say goodbye to Ember, for now."

"Bye Ember!" Violet immediately said, throwing in a wave at the same time. With her presence no longer needed, Ember propelled herself skyward and headed back the way she'd come.

"Now let's go home and see what your mom's up to." Carefully stopping down with Violet held tightly in one strong arm, he picked up the flowers she'd collected earlier that day before the two of them set off for their home. They didn't make it very far before they faded away as if erased by the wind.

But the rest of the environment remained, leaving Yang and Blake standing in the field of flowers by themselves.

"Uh…" Yang said, staring at the spot where Violet and her father had just vanished from.

"The characters always disappear first at the end of a chapter," Blake explained, turning to Yang and trying to read her expression. "Are you still freaking out?"

"Yes." Yang nodded but grinned regardless. "But I didn't get eaten by a dragon, so I think I'll survive."

"You'll survive. I'll make sure of that."

It was an empty promise considering that survival was the only way this _could_ work out, but Yang smiled anyway - looking as happy as if Blake had just pledged to fight by her side in the upcoming war. But the expression lost a bit of its luster when she looked around.

"Where are we, by the way? It's beautiful."

"An island called Marsai," Blake answered. "Fictional, of course."

"l think the dragon gave that away." After glancing around the wide-open plain, Yang shook her head.

"Ok," she said, turning to Blake with a growing smile. "You have my complete attention now. I mean, not that you didn't before - just, you have it _even more_ now." Pausing completely, Yang appeared bewildered for a few seconds before carrying on. "Not like, a weird amount of attention or anything. Just a regular, healthy amount..."

Watching Yang talk herself into a deeper hole than she'd started with, Blake chuckled at the briefly flustered behavior. Yang always seemed so calm and carefree - it was pleasantly surprising to discover that there was a side of her that was infinitely more relatable, stumbling over words and finding it difficult to make sense. Of course, it took an unexpected trip to an alternate universe that contained dragons for that side of her to come out...

"So," Yang added, clapping her hands together and putting that moment of inelegance behind her. "Do we hang out here forever, or is there something we need to do?"

"We'll eventually move forward. Shouldn't be much longer..."

As Blake spoke, the world around them shifted and blurred as if it was being slowly erased by some unstoppable force. The sun lowered and the flowers disappeared. The sound of waves was replaced by evening crickets. The ocean darkened until it vanished from view completely.

Eyes wide, Yang watched the environment change in front of them. It was only when the next chapter was fully formed that she turned to Blake with a thoughtful expression.

"You know…I always knew there was something different about you."

Temporarily taken aback by the comment, Blake reluctantly smiled when she realized Yang only meant the bookmarks that had led them here - not that she, personally, was different in any way.

"I hope it's not a bad kind of different?" she asked. Any concern she might have had disappeared when Yang laughed.

"Definitely not bad," Yang answered, shaking her head for emphasis before glancing around at the dark woods surrounding them. "But...what's next?"


	3. Chapter 2 - SunMoon

**Glad everyone likes the story so far! We're at Day 2...I keep almost forgetting to post because I'm not used to a daily schedule like this!**

* * *

The sound of crickets grew louder, rising and falling in a crescendo that filled the night. Tall trees swayed and plentiful leaves rustled in the steady evening breeze. The moon was already out, basking everything in its cool, blue glow.

In the midst of this place, a place of inescapable nature, was nestled a small house - a single story with few rooms to speak of. Despite its diminutive size, it looked comfortable, with a plethora of windows allowing it to be as close to nature as possible while still using four solid walls. The lights were on inside the house, casting a warm, orange glow out into the wilderness.

The place was steeped in good feelings. Even from outside, love and harmony radiated from the glass walls. But, before the story began, Blake wanted to ensure her unexpected companion was still willing to move forward.

"Are you sure you want to keep going?" she asked Yang for the second time. "We could always stay out here -"

This time there was no hesitation as Yang shook her head.

"I just survived an attack by a dragon. I'm pretty sure I can handle whatever else you throw at me."

The exaggeration and accompanying grin put Blake at ease, believing that as long as Yang was making jokes she was fine with the situation. And Blake appreciated Yang's willingness to embrace the unexpected - it might be _more_ uncomfortable for the two of them to stand out here in silence than go inside and witness the chapter.

Although...it probably wouldn't be as uncomfortable as Blake would have expected only moments ago, when it had felt nearly impossible to carry on a conversation in the confines of the library. With each passing second, she was actually finding it easier to come up with questions to ask and comments to add to the conversation. But the stark departure was likely caused by the fact that she'd unwittingly dragged Yang into a collection of unfamiliar stories. As the one with prior knowledge on these scenes, wasn't it Blake's task to help Yang remain calm?

"Would you call yourself adventurous?" Blake asked, drawing Yang's gaze away from the tranquil forest surrounding them.

"Yes. Well, relatively. I guess it depends on if there are dragons involved."

This time Blake laughed, earning a bright smile from Yang that was fully reassuring. As Blake would've expected based on nothing but observation, Yang was willing to go with the flow - after the initial bout of shock wore off. It might've been easier if _this_ chapter had been first, but getting the dragon out of the way at the beginning might have worked out for the best - now Yang was prepared for anything. At least, that was the hope...

"You're ready for another story then?" When Yang nodded, Blake waved towards the house standing less than fifty feet from them. "Then we need to go inside."

"Into a strange house in the middle of nowhere," Yang replied cheekily, following Blake to the door regardless. "How did you pick these chapters, anyway? I'd say they're random, but you don't seem like the type that does things randomly."

Considering that they only vaguely knew each other, Yang's assumption was spot on.

"I picked a certain order," Blake explained while they walked up three short steps to the front porch. "I tried to create a semblance of plot running through the chapters even though I used different books."

"Creating a story out of stories?"

"Essentially."

Stopping by the front door, Blake turned to Yang before heading inside and found it somewhat jarring to find her standing so close - especially after devoting so many hours wishing for the opportunity to spend time together outside of those few minutes every Wednesday evening. Now Yang was right here, about to follow Blake into another story that she'd chosen with only herself in mind.

"You aren't gonna tell me what the story is, are you?" Yang teased, easily making Blake smile and shake her head.

"If you're willing…maybe you can watch and see if you can figure it out on your own?"

It was a modest suggestion, but Yang grinned.

"I'm totally willing to try! I just can't guarantee I won't flip out if there are ghosts or goblins or something like that."

"Ah -"

When Blake turned to the door with a grin, Yang reached out and grabbed her shoulder.

"Woah, woah, _woah_ there -" Yang said, spinning Blake back towards her. "There aren't any ghosts, right? You didn't put in any...spooky stuff?"

"You'll see?"

When Yang's jaw dropped, Blake chuckled and shook her head.

"But no, there's nothing like that." When Yang raised an eyebrow in playful disbelief, Blake smiled. "I promise."

The assurance made Yang beam - maybe a bit too brightly because Blake hastily turned towards the house and led them inside. They immediately walked into a single open room that contained both the living room and kitchen, with little separating the two besides decor and imagination. The wall opposite of them was composed entirely of glass, with two wide glass doors allowing access to a patio in the back. There were several dim torches lit outside, but beyond those, there was only blue moonlight before reaching a wall of darkness that was a forest packed with trees.

Inside, there was minimal furniture, and what few pieces there were seemed to be relatively unused. The sofa was pristinely white. The dining table was covered in flowers. It was only the barstools at the island in the kitchen that appeared to be worn through regular shufflings and 'important' conversations held during mealtime.

The barstools were unoccupied at the moment, however, as the man and woman currently in the kitchen opted to stand instead.

"Oh...who are they?" Yang asked, crouching down as if she was going to sneak up on their next set of characters. Opting to walk normally, Blake sent Yang an amused glance.

"Do you actually want me to tell you?"

"Not really...I just like asking."

The honest response and even more honest smile made Blake chuckle as they walked into the kitchen to observe the interaction at hand. Yang's questions were actually quite enjoyable and proved that she was interested in the story at hand. It was much more than Blake could have asked for from an unwitting participant in this adventure.

"Are you the type who talks during movies?" she asked, curious about this side of Yang's personality.

"Constantly. My friends hate it. Oh, sorry! Am I ruining this for you?"

"Not at all. I was just curious."

After putting Yang back at ease with a smile, Blake watched the man in the kitchen pull a long, thin box out of the bag he'd carried in with him. It was a good three to four feet long, but only a matter of inches tall and wide.

"He was working on this," the man said, gently placing the box on the counter in front of the woman. From her thin stature and the exhaustion lurking in her green eyes, she wasn't ready to receive whatever it was. But based on what she'd been through recently, she might never be ready.

"What is it?" Yang whispered, creeping closer while Blake teasingly shook her head at yet another question. From their current position, they could only see that the box was black and unmarked. It was actually remarkably plain considering the contents Blake knew it contained.

The woman must have also known what was inside, but she opened the lid anyway - before immediately shutting it and covering her mouth while her eyes filled with tears. The tears quickly became quiet sobs, and the man who'd delivered the unexpected item wrapped her in a hug while she cried.

"It's ok…" he murmured, rubbing one hand up and down her back while she buried her face in his shoulder. "I'm sorry…"

"Oh no…" Yang said, her own expression softening. "What happened?"

"Her husband died recently," Blake explained, answering the question because she was unsure if the rest of the chapter would make that clear enough. She pointed towards the box, which they still couldn't see the contents of. "That was left in his workshop."

"Oh…"

The two of them watched in silence as the woman struggled to pull herself back together. Her grief was so palpable that Blake found herself wishing she could fast forward through the moment and spare her heart the sadness, but she'd chosen this chapter knowing full well what would happen.

Even so...some stories were harder to witness than others…

Yang stepped closer, standing near Blake's side in a way that almost subtly asked for comfort, but eventually the woman's tears slowed enough that she pulled away and wiped her eyes.

"Thank you," she said, giving her friend a tearful smile before taking two shaky breaths to calm herself. "I figured he would make something like this…"

"It's finished. I think he was only waiting for -"

"His birthday," the woman finished with a nod and sad smile as they both looked down the single hallway leading off of the living room. "It's all he's been asking for..."

"Do you want me -?" the man offered, gesturing to the box. The woman considered the offer for a second before shaking her head.

"I should do it. He won't see anyone else."

When the woman lowered her gaze to the ground, her shoulders slumping under the weight of her loss, the man raised one hand to softly touch her cheek.

"Eve…"

"Uh…" Yang immediately said, staring with wide eyes as the woman looked up. Before anything more could happen, the sound of a door slamming made the man drop his hand while the woman looked away and sighed.

"He's having a hard time…" she said as if that explained everything.

"Want me to talk to him?"

"Thank you, but I think it's best if I do."

From the way the man pursed his lips it appeared that the answer was unsatisfying in some way, but he reluctantly nodded. "If he's ever ready to learn…"

"l know. Thank you, Theo."

With a soft smile, Theo stepped forward and kissed the top of Eve's head - a long, lingering kiss that she sighed into before he moved away.

"If you ever need _anything_ , let me know."

"I will…"

While Eve stared down at the box and Theo left - sending one last glance towards her before disappearing outside - Yang turned around with wide eyes.

"Uh...that was fishy, right?" she said, pointing towards the front door. "That was totally fishy. Something's not right about...that."

Blake nodded, in agreement with Yang's conclusion. In person, that interaction was far more telling than it was when written through someone else's eyes. It was merely a kind gentleman comforting his best friend's widow...or was it?

Left alone in a house that had once been cheerful but was now far too silent, Eve glanced towards the hallway then down at the treasure in front of her. For a moment she looked like she wanted to open the box again, but instead picked it up and headed to the hall.

"Come on," Blake said, lightly tapping Yang's elbow before trailing Eve away from the kitchen. Once in the hall, they stopped at one of the closed doors and waited while she quietly knocked.

"What?" came a sullen voice from within.

"Demetri..." she said, "l have something important for you."

When silence was her answer, she took a deep breath before opening the door and walking inside. Blake motioned for Yang to head in first, and they both shuffled into a small room that had a bed, a desk, a dresser, and not much else. But lack of furniture didn't mean the room was lacking in personality.

Lining the windowsill and the desk were tiny action figures, of sorts, that had been formed from castoff bits of molten metal. The metal scraps would have been garbage to many people, but these small figurines were prized for the works of art they had been extracted from - small tokens that remained in this home when everything else left.

The boy who Eve was speaking to was sitting on his bed, his arms wrapped around his knees while he stared out the tall windows at the other side of the room. He was the spitting image of his mother, with jet black hair and piercing green eyes that were dark with exhaustion. Even when his mom sat on the edge of the bed and placed one hand on his shoulder, he refused to look away from the window. Instead, his jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed while he suffered through anger, betrayal, and loss.

Watching the interaction unfold, Blake's heart swelled with compassion for a fictional character who was about to embark upon a painful journey of self-discovery. When she'd read this story the first time, her heart had broken. Watching it play out in front of her eyes, her heart broke even further.

He was just a kid...

"Theo brought this over," Eve explained, placing the box in front of her son. "Your father…"

The explanation abruptly stopped, as Eve attempted to swallow around the growing lump in her throat. But she'd already said enough for her son to finally turn from the window to the box in front of him. When she motioned for him to open it, however, he just stared.

"Open it," Yang said to herself, fidgeting while they waited for the young boy to come to a decision. "What is it?"

"Don't worry, you'll see soon," Blake replied, moving a step closer so they could clearly see the box.

Knowing what was inside, Demetri didn't want to open it. Yet, just like his mom, he needed to see it - he needed to see the last memory his father would ever give him.

Lifting the lid off of the box, he set it aside and stared.

"Wow -" Yang breathed out, taking a step closer. "That's…"

"Beautiful," Blake finished, sharing a smile with Yang.

Demetri was feeling the same - albeit with a torrent of other emotions thrown in - while he looked at the sword resting in the box in front of him. It was his father's finest work - the hilt a jet black that matched Demetri's hair, with ornate gold etchings serving as accents, and the blade shimmered in the light, its edge sharp and new.

"He only ever wanted the best for you," Demetri's mother whispered before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his head. With those words, she stood and hurried out of the room - ducking her head and lifting a hand to her nose as she went.

After Eve's abrupt exit from the room, Blake and Yang were left to watch Demetri's reaction on their own. He refused to touch the sword and instead stared down at it for a long time - until his eyes filled with tears.

Blake turned away when she heard Yang clear her throat, but Yang waved one hand while lowering her gaze and wiping at her eyes. "I'm good," she said, taking several deep breaths before finally giving Blake a wavering smile. "I'm good, I just…"

Yang's words trailed off when Demetri suddenly stood and walked to the window. Straightening one of the many figurines sitting on the windowsill, he paused when a thought occurred to him. Spinning back to his bed, he walked over and looked more thoroughly into the interior of the box. After a few seconds, he gingerly reached inside and pulled out another figurine for his collection.

Holding it up in one hand, he held it up and looked at it closely. Like the sword resting in the box, this figurine had been made far more intricately than the others - because it was, just like the blade, a gift from a father to his only son.

Walking slowly back to the window, Demetri placed the newest action figure at the end of the line of them and turned it until it was just perfect. They might be made from nothing but scraps of metal castoff during the forging of these particular weapons, but they were treasures to him.

Rubbing his eyes and sniffling, Demetri looked out the window and stared at the dark trees beyond.

"Jesus...this is hard…" Yang whispered, taking a shaky breath when Demetri finally turned away from the window and paced the length of his room while in deep thought. From the way he threw glances towards his bed every few seconds, it was easy to tell what decision he was grappling with.

When Yang cleared her throat again, Blake turned away from Demetri.

"It's a hard chapter…" she said as Yang fixated on Demetri's pace.

"It is. And it's just…I understand what he's going through." After briefly pausing, Yang shook her head. "My, uh, my adopted mom died...when I was little," she explained, the words immediately making Blake regret this chapter's inclusion.

"I'm sorry..." she replied, turning her full attention to Yang and reaching out as if there was something she could do to help. "If I'd known -"

"You don't need to apologize." After a second of silence, Yang shook her head again. "I don't know why I just told you that. I guess...you're just easy to talk to..."

Shrugging her shoulders, Yang then straightened up and smiled. "I wanna know what this kid's gonna do with that sword though!"

The moment of vulnerability passed quickly, and Blake willingly let it go if only so Yang would smile again. Internally, she was surprised that Yang felt comfortable enough to share that knowledge - although Blake was glad to have received it, even if she wished it wasn't true. She couldn't fathom losing someone so important so early in life, but it was a stark reminder that life wasn't perfect...even for those who appeared to lead perfect lives.

"You're about to see," Blake said, standing a little closer to Yang and nodding towards Demetri.

He'd just stopped in the middle of his pacing and turned back to his bed. The wheels turning in his head were practically visible as he came to a conclusion. Next, in one quick motion, he walked over to the box and pulled out the blade. The instant the weapon was in his hands, the blade lost its plain silver shine and glowed orange like a setting sun. Held within its owner's grasp, it came to life in a way only his father knew how to create - humming with energy as it cast its radiance throughout the room.

Tears fell from Demetri's eyes as he looked at the color, but he didn't drop the weapon. Instead, he clasped it firmly in both hands, closed his eyes, and held the blade carefully up in the air.

"Wow -" was all Yang got out before Demetri lowered the sword and ran to his bedroom door. Yanking it open, he raced into the hall and quickly left the two of them behind.

Yang gave Blake a look of surprise before following the sound of pounding feet leading out of the house towards the back patio. In the space between the house and the trees was a patch of carefully laid stones that locked together to form a perfect square. Torches stood at the corners to provide a small amount of light, but the moon was doing most of that work tonight.

Standing in the center of this space was their character - whose brow was furrowed with deep determination.

"Feet set, arms steady," Demetri muttered to himself while assuming a fighting stance with the sword clasped in front of him. "Not too high, not too low -"

 _"_ _Focus on the connection between you and your weapon - it is an extension of you -"_

The low voice came from the night sky, surrounding and blanketing them like a thick fog. It was a voice from nowhere, yet everywhere at the same time.

Looking up in search of the person doing the speaking, Yang eventually gave up and laughed.

"You said there wouldn't be any ghosts."

" _Technically_ there aren't -"

 _"_ _Strike first, but maintain your balance -"_

Pointing towards the sky as the voice spoke again, Yang arched one eyebrow. Unable to argue, Blake laughed and nudged Yang's shoulder so she would watch Demetri take his first swing with his new weapon - it was slow and uncertain, but it was just the first of many.

Dropping his arms when another idea occurred to him, he suddenly ran into the house and left Yang and Blake outside.

"What's this kid up to now?"

"He'll be back -"

No sooner had the words left Blake's mouth did Demetri all but jump back through the door with a small device held in his free hand while the sword still glowed in the other. It took him only a couple minutes to set the device upon the ground, after which it projected a small screen on nothing but air.

The screen showed Demetri's father - using a similar sword as he went through his own practice, with a young Demetri visible watching from the edge of the video.

Focusing on one particular movement in the film, Demetri then paused the screen and practiced the motion over and over again before moving on to the next. It wasn't long before he was grunting from exertion, but he didn't give up. Even as sweat beaded on his young brow, he continued - his sword flashing like fire through the darkness.

"Look," Blake said, bumping Yang's elbow and nodding back to the house, where Demetri's mother was standing at the windows watching with a sad smile. After taking a long look at the woman, Yang met Blake's eyes.

"Must be bittersweet for -"

Yang's words cut off when the light suddenly shifted. Without warning, the sun popped into the air and layered the clearing in sunlight. Demetri was still practicing, his movements becoming more and more fluid as the sun quickly fell and the moon appeared once again.

"Uh, woah," Yang said, looking up at the moon - where the sun had just been.

"Time is passing," Blake explained, walking closer to Demetri, but giving him a wide berth as he trained.

While she knew that she couldn't be hurt by the blade, innate caution still won out and she avoided the range of his swings. Slowing moving around him, Blake caught Yang's eyes as the sun rose and set over and over again - a rapid progression that her eyes could hardly grow accustomed to before it changed.

In this flashing timeline, Demetri began to age and, as he did so, his movements became more purposeful and powerful. His determination grew, his expression hardened. As night and day fell by the wayside, he turned into a young man - not yet out of his teens, but tall and lean with muscle.

The sun froze in the sky when he dropped his sword on the ground and rubbed at his calloused hands. Hearing steps on the porch, Yang turned towards the house as Demetri's mother stepped outside. Eve was older now, and far more world-worn than she had been before.

"You know that Theo will help you train if you'd like," she offered. With Demetri's back towards her, she couldn't see the way his jaw set at the man's name.

"l don't need his help," he grumbled, picking up the sword and starting over. His mom watched, pain in her eyes, before solemnly nodding and walking inside.

More time passed - the sun and moon continued to rise and fall from the sky - and Demetri grew even taller, even stronger. The projector on the ground flew through every video he still possessed of his father. Each one was dissected, repeated, and perfected.

"This is so cool…" Yang said, looking around as the trees were bathed in light, then plunged into darkness. The torches were lit, then extinguished. And through it all, Demetri trained on his own.

The sun froze just over the horizon, caught in the early morning as the moon had just barely bid adieu. Another video was playing, but this time Demetri was practicing in perfect step with the image on the screen. Every motion his father made, he could replicate - and he could complete the entire routine without looking at the screen.

"Demetri -"

The three of them turned in unison towards the soft voice.

"There's someone here to see you," Eve said, beckoning her son inside before heading through the door. Visible through the glass were two men waiting by the front door, both wearing the same dark uniform while one clutched a briefcase in both hands.

Heaving a heavy sigh, Demetri wiped his brow and placed the sword on his side. Once out of his hands, the orange glow faded away and left nothing but normal steel glinting in the light.

"That's probably not good…" Yang said as Demetri walked into the house and faded from view just inside the door. "Wait - that's it?" she exclaimed. "But who came to see him? Who were those guys?"

"That's what the rest of the story is for…"

At first disgruntled, Yang eventually sighed at Blake's answer. "Can I borrow these books from you? I need to know how all these stories turn out…"

"Do you really want to read them?"

"Yeah, of course! Why's that so surprising?"

Because Yang was pretty and popular, Blake hadn't expected her to have any interest in more intellectual activities like reading for fun. Apparently, that was a wrong assumption to make.

"I thought you'd be too busy to read," Blake replied, opting for a half-truth.

"And I thought that whenever I saw you reading, you were _actually_ reading," Yang replied with a laugh. "Guess we've got lots to learn about each other, huh?"

The idea wasn't at all daunting - it was exciting. And they had five more chapters over which they could do just that.

Nodding in agreement, Blake noticed that the serene sound of rustling leaves was replaced by wind whistling across a wide-open plain. The lush green trees grew sparse and bare. The patio, which had been interlocked grey stones before, was now dirt covered with a thick layer of snow.

"Jeez, between the sun and moon dropping out of the sky and random changes in seasons, how do you keep track of what day it is?" Yang asked, stomping one foot on the snow.

"That's what they make calendars for, isn't it?"

Immediately picking up on the joke, Yang shook her head and chuckled.

"You're a sharp one, aren't you?" she said, a playful glint in her eyes. "I'm gonna have to keep my eye on you."

Blushing at the comment, Blake looked around the winter wonderland instead of locking eyes with Yang - finding that the playful lilac caused her heart to dance a little too much.

"Are you ready for chapter three?" she asked, locating familiar landmarks and getting her bearings in order - not that there was much to see in this expanse of snow-covered farmland.

"You know it!" Yang answered. "I mean, unless there are ghosts or dragons. But...you'll give me a heads up, won't you?"

The question only made Blake smile and shrug one shoulder.

"I guess we'll have to see what happens, won't we?"

Hearing Yang laugh at the teasing response, Blake smiled and walked towards their next chapter.


	4. Chapter 3 - Domestic

**Thank you all for the great response to this story! I'll tell you...posting a chapter a day is pretty exhausting. Kudos to people who do this all the time.**

 **Extra special thanks to those who've left reviews! I'm going to respond to them at the end of the week :)**

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The sun was out, but it was doing very little to warm the frozen tundra they found themselves in. With hardly anything to be found as far as the eye could see, the only mark of civilization was the tiny cabin nestled near the edge of a small group of trees. Grey plumes of smoke were coming from the chimney, giving away the presence of life and fire within.

The entire area stuck out like a sore thumb from the barren drifts of snow stretching in all directions, but its remoteness was intentional. It was out here in this barren wasteland that peace was found...although the line between peace and isolation was extraordinarily thin.

"Brr…" Yang said, rubbing her hands up and down her arms while puffs of frozen breath slipped through her lips. The expression only caused Blake to look at Yang in confusion - not feeling at all what Yang was implying.

"Are you actually cold?"

Freezing in place, Yang thought about the question before dropping her hands.

"Uh, no. Not really." Yang wore a bewildered look while trying to sort through her feelings, eventually giving up and shaking her head. "But I saw the snow and thought I should be."

Smiling at the response, Blake rubbed her own arms to rid herself of the chill of suggestion. She definitely wasn't as cold as she _should_ be considering the freezing temperatures, but there was a hint of wintry weather in the air surrounding them. Whether that chill was _real_ or not was the question...

"I did the same thing the first time I tried a chapter in the snow," she admitted. "It's pretty remarkable that some reactions that are so ingrained, we'll do them no matter what."

Wrapping her arms around herself and then dropping them with a shake of her head, Yang asked, "Like what else?"

Thinking of another one, Blake raised one hand to her mouth and pretended to yawn. A second later, Yang covered her mouth and yawned - hers much longer and ending with her shaking her head to wake herself back up.

"Ok -" Yang said, smiling once her yawn finally disappeared. "You totally got me there."

Laughing, Blake found it impossible to prevent a smile when Yang looked at her so happily.

Yang's company on this adventure had been completely unexpected, yet Blake was finding it more than welcome - especially when Yang was taking a deeper interest in the chapters Blake had chosen. It was pleasantly surprising that Yang was so willing and eager to learn more about these books, especially when Blake would love to have someone to discuss the stories with...but she shouldn't get too far ahead of herself.

"So...are we supposed to stand out here or head into another strange house?" Yang eventually asked. Shuffling her feet, she nodded towards the small cottage - the only notable location in the vicinity.

"We should wait here first," Blake answered.

"In the snow?"

"Is it bothering you?" she asked, amused by the expression Yang was currently wearing.

"No, it's just...I keep thinking I should be cold!"

Blake chuckled at Yang's bewildered tone.

"We'll go inside soon," she added as reassurance.

"Great, because I'm _pretty sure_ I'm freezing."

Laughing fully, Blake shook her head at Yang - who was far too pleased with the response.

Blake had expected Yang to have a good sense of humor considering how often her friends were laughing, but experiencing it for herself was a pretty remarkable feeling. It made Blake believe that Yang felt comfortable enough to make jokes - which made Blake comfortable enough to joke in return.

"If I had a jacket, I _might_ offer it to you," she teased, smiling when she succeeded in making Yang laugh.

At that moment, out of the corner of her eye, Blake noticed the door to the small house open. After she pointed that direction, they both turned to watch a young woman step out into the snow.

"Now _she_ looks cold," Yang commented, gesturing towards the woman's outfit - a heavy coat, thick pants, high boots, scarf, gloves...she was as covered up as she could possibly be.

"Yes, because she's part of the story while we're not."

"Kinda glad about that right now..." Yang muttered as the woman set off away from the front door.

"Come on - let's see what she's up to," Blake said, trailing the young woman through the snow and around the side of the house.

They weren't going very far. Along the outer wall of the cottage was a snow-covered tarp that the woman pulled back to reveal neat stacks of firewood stored underneath. Unfolding a large piece of cloth she'd brought outside with her, she laid the material out on the snow and began setting logs on top of it. As she moved two pieces at a time, a decent pile accumulated quickly.

"I feel like we should offer to help," Yang said, motioning to the stacks of wood before turning to Blake. "I mean, between the three of us -"

When Yang suddenly stopped speaking, Blake looked over and found that Yang's eyes were wide with concern.

"Blake…"

Taking a step forward, Yang put one arm in front of Blake and moved her a step closer to the house. Initially surprised by the uncharacteristic action, Blake turned around and found the cause of Yang's concern approaching them from behind.

There was a lone wolf prowling through the sparse trees, crouching low to the ground as it crept closer to the unsuspecting woman. It was cleverly hidden - its white fur blending in with the backdrop of snow while its black nose and eyes looked like nothing more than small stones.

The appearance of a clearly aggressive wild animal was certainly cause for alarm, but this creature wouldn't be able to harm them. It wasn't even acknowledging their existence - its keen eyes focused upon the unsuspecting young woman instead.

"It's ok, Yang."

"I don't like this," Yang said, her arm still barring Blake from moving closer to the creature. "I don't like this at all."

"It's going to be ok," Blake reassured her. "Promise."

The word put Yang more at ease, enough that she dropped her arm and gave Blake a nod, but her eyes never left the wolf as it inched nearer.

Finished with the stacks of firewood, the woman pulled the tarp back in place so the rest of the wood would stay dry - hopefully remaining dry through the remainder of winter. When the tarp was situated properly, she used two heavy rocks to weigh down the edges before dusting off her gloves and sighing.

"Come on…" Yang muttered, her eyes flitting between the woman and the wolf. "Turn around…"

Finally sensing danger, the woman cautiously turned around - and instantly spotted the approaching threat. The wolf froze for a second when it was spotted, but then continued forward with steady, measured footsteps. The distance between the two was quickly shortening - the woman running out of time before the wolf would be upon her. But when she tried to take a slow step towards the house, the wolf bared its teeth and snarled.

Blake wanted to watch the sequence play out but also wanted to watch Yang as she nearly fidgeted right out of her shoes with nervousness.

Sliding one foot backward in the snow, the woman tried not to make any sudden movements that would cause the beast to attack, while also coming up with a plan to escape the situation. She was too far from the front of the house to make a run for the door, and - thinking it would be a quick trip to collect some firewood - she'd walked outside without a weapon.

Now she watched the wolf advance upon her, and she could do nothing but wait - or try to run and be caught before reaching the door.

She opted to wait - looking almost passive as the wolf took one step closer, bared its teeth, and lunged.

Yang flinched forward as if she would try to help, but the woman already had a piece of firewood in her hand and swung just in time. A yelp rippled through the air as the wolf fell to its side in the snow, but it quickly scrambled to its feet and turned back on its intended victim - who now held the piece of firewood in both hands while holding her ground.

"That's right…" the woman muttered while the wolf snarled at her. "Go find an easier meal…"

From mere feet away, the wolf bared its teeth while cautiously circling to the side. It was waiting for another opportunity to attack, and the woman was prepared for it to come.

But their temporary stalemate abruptly ended when the door of the house tore open.

"Grace!" a man shouted, leaning against the doorframe in nothing but a thin sweater and pair of fatigues. Immediately catching sight of the wolf, he actually took one barefoot step out into the snow. "Hey, get outta here!" he yelled, waving one arm in the air - being either fearless or foolish in the face of danger.

Startled by the additional company, the wolf backed up in defense while looking between the man and woman, trying to measure the amount of threat they posed. Deciding that the odds were no longer in its favor, the creature eventually turned and trotted away. At the edge of the small group of sparse trees it looked over its shoulder one last time, but then loped across the expanse of snow in search of a meal that wouldn't fight back.

Sighing in relief - while Yang did the same - the woman dropped the piece of wood on top of her stack and picked up the ends of the cloth so she could drag the entire bunch towards the front door.

"Are you ok?" the man asked, taking another step into the snow while the woman dragged the firewood towards him.

"I'm fine, Micah," she said, waving him out of her way. "Now get back inside before you catch a cold."

He was still worried, but obediently moved aside before following her inside the tiny cottage.

"Grace -" he called out as they disappeared inside, leaving Blake and Yang out in the snow.

"Ok, so she can take care of herself," Yang remarked with an impressed nod. "Wolf, smolf - what was I worried about?"

"She can...but that was very sweet, by the way," Blake commented, gesturing towards Yang's arm.

"What was?"

"You were all...protective."

It wasn't cold outside (at least, not for them), so that couldn't possibly be the reason behind Yang's reddening cheeks.

"Well, I, uh, I have a little sister," Yang used as an excuse. "I guess it's kind of instinct."

"How old?" Blake asked, allowing the more embarrassing topic to fade away.

"Two years younger. I guess I'm used to keeping her out of trouble - or trying to."

Nodding at the new information, Blake thought it was a great explanation for Yang's surprisingly nurturing personality.

"Only child," she offered, pointing to herself and smiling when Yang grinned. "Now let's get you inside before you freeze to death."

"Oh, that's right - yeah, so cold." Yang briskly rubbed her arms before laughing and following Blake through the door and into the small cottage. They didn't make it far into the tiny home before Yang looked around and said, "Wow - cozy."

Blake nodded at Yang's succinct and accurate assessment. The cabin was even smaller than Demetri's house in the previous chapter - it was essentially just a single room crammed with furniture. The kitchen took up much of the left side of the house, with a small dining table that would be a tight fit for three people. The fireplace - which was currently lit and adding a faint crackling noise to the air - took over the right side of the room, with an assortment of cushions and blankets forming a makeshift bed directly in front of it while a small bed was tucked into the corner of the room.

"You're hurt," Micah said, reaching out with his hand only for Grace to slap it away from her.

"I'm fine," she snapped, turning her arm and displaying a thin, red scratch that ran from her elbow to her hand. "It hardly touched me."

"Let me help -"

"I don't need your help."

The answer was final, and Micah knew it. And, as much as he was concerned for her well-being, he'd learned by now that it was pointless to offer help if she didn't want any.

"Ok…" he relented, taking a step away and raising his hands to show he was giving up. "I'll just...tend the fire…" he mumbled before hobbling away, wincing in pain as he did so.

Now that they were inside, it was easy to see that Micah was injured. He moved with a distinct hobble, and there was a bulge of bandages around his left knee, through which Blake could see a dark stain of blood seeping through.

"Yeesh," Yang muttered while Micah stuck a small log into the fire and used a poker to move it into place. "She does _not_ like him."

"He represents everything she hates in the world," Blake replied, using a soft voice that felt appropriate for the general atmosphere in the cabin. "She blames him for her own losses."

"Then why is he here?"

When Yang looked her way, Blake nodded towards Grace. In the midst of cleaning her wound, which was fortunately just a bad scratch, Grace glanced over her shoulder at Micah before letting out a soft sigh.

"Oohh...gotcha." When Yang winked, Blake turned away as a blush rushed to her cheeks.

"It's not like that," she said, before adding, "Yet…"

"Right, but there's a reason she can't keep her eyes off of him," Yang teased, but when she turned towards Micah her expression grew far more concerned. "Other than the fact that it looks like he shouldn't be walking…"

"He was shot in the leg, and she couldn't leave him to die," Blake explained, stepping backward as Micah limped over to collect another piece of wood for the fire. "And he probably _shouldn't_ be walking, but he doesn't want to make her do everything."

"Great. Two prideful people stuck together in a tiny cabin in the middle of nowhere."

"Exactly."

As the characters set about their separate tasks, Blake shook her head at their apparent determination to be as stubborn as possible. Doing so, Blake caught sight of Grace pulling their next meal from a bag she'd brought in earlier that day.

"Oh, you might want to look away." Catching one of Yang's shoulders, Blake spun her around before she happened to glance into the kitchen.

"Why?"

"Just...don't look over there for a little bit."

"So look at you instead?" Yang grinned at the question - and that grin only grew when Blake blushed.

"You can look anywhere but in the kitchen," she replied, her blush deepening when Yang chose to keep looking at her instead of turning away.

"How do they get food, by the way?" Yang asked, thankfully not turning around at the solid _thud_ of a knife hitting the chopping board behind her. "It doesn't exactly seem like there's a supermarket nearby."

"Grace can hunt and trap," Blake explained, quickly moving on before Yang connected those dots. "She also grows food during the warmer months and preserves it for winter."

"She's super independent, isn't she?"

"Very independent," Blake agreed, sneaking a look over Yang's shoulder and finding that the coast was now clear - Grace had moved on to chopping up a few vegetables to add to their meal.

"Can I ask you something?" Yang asked, catching Blake's gaze and holding it intently.

"Sure."

"Why'd you choose this chapter?"

The question was wholly unexpected because, quite simply, Blake had never had to answer anything like it before. Because she was always experiencing these adventures on her own, she picked the chapters based on what she most wanted to see and the emotions she most wanted to feel. More recently, her selections served a greater purpose of progressing a narrative she was hoping to accomplish - her 'story made of stories.'

This particular scene, while relatively dull compared to the others she'd selected, was an integral moment - the discovery of tolerance between two people from vastly different upbringings.

"I guess...I wanted to feel this -" Blake gestured to the room, where Micah was poking at the fire while consciously not looking towards the kitchen, and Grace was preparing their meal while consciously not looking towards the living room.

Yang looked between the two hard-headed characters before giving Blake a quirky smile.

"The unbelievably thick tension?"

Chuckling at the accurate assessment, Blake nodded her head.

"Yes," she agreed, waving Yang closer to the door so they could watch both characters at the same time. "I wanted to see and feel how they interact with one another. They have two completely different pasts, but necessity brought them together."

"I could say the same about us," Yang replied, grinning as she motioned between the two of them. "Except it was some magic bookmarks that brought us together. Well, those and my propensity to touch other people's stuff without permission."

Diverting her attention from the story, Blake looked at Yang instead.

"Is there tension between us?" Blake asked, wondering if Yang was feeling something that she wasn't. Fortunately, Yang shook her head.

"Well, no…but necessity brought us together!"

"Did it?"

"Yeah, because if you weren't here, I'd be so lost. It's like you're my tour guide on this journey!"

Faced with Yang's beaming smile, Blake wanted to divert her gaze but didn't - instead meeting Yang's smile with one of her own.

Secretly, she enjoyed that comparison - as she'd gladly volunteer to be Yang's tour guide through any journey. As she was just now learning, leading the way was enjoyable when she was with someone willing to explore and willing to experience the unknown.

"Happy to help," she replied, nodding her head and feeling her heart beat rapidly - not slowing until Yang turned that blinding smile elsewhere.

"Ok, so she's making something to eat," Yang commented, moving close enough to Blake's side that she could feel their shared warmth. "And he's…"

Sitting down on the edge of a stool, Micah rolled up his pant leg and examined the bandages wrapped around his knee. There was still bleeding from the wound, but it was nowhere near as bad as it had initially been described - it was healing, but slowly.

"He's not doing so great," Yang surmised while Micah changed the bandages, wincing in pain as he did so. "It looks like he needs a doctor."

"The closest doctor is too far," Blake explained. "Especially with the unpredictable weather. He'll have to stay here and stick it out."

Shaking her head, Yang watched Micah wrap a clean cloth around his knee and roll his pant leg back overtop of it.

"Hang in there, buddy," Yang said as Micah leaned back and sighed. Turning to Blake, Yang's eyes then slid past and into the kitchen. Following the gaze, Blake caught the very end of the concerned glance Grace had sent Micah's way.

But that was all there was to the moment, as Grace went back to her own tasks and Micah wiped his perspiring brow before searching for something he could realistically help with.

"She's worried about him…" Blake said although she was sure Yang had already come to the same conclusion. "But she doesn't know how else to help. And they're not exactly communicating very well at the moment..."

"They just need to find some common ground," Yang mused, watching Grace set several dishes on the dining table. "Something they both have in common that they can talk about."

"Very astute," Blake said, smiling when Yang caught her gaze.

"I mean, I guess I'd call it common sense. Sometimes it's hard to find things to talk about, especially if you're nervous..." Yang's thought trailed off, but then she coughed into one hand. "But sometimes it just hits you in the head! Or shoves you into a novel."

Blake agreed with that statement wholeheartedly. It had felt almost insurmountable trying to talk to Yang within the confines of the library, but with these stories tying them together, it was growing easier and easier to hold a normal conversation.

Although, how 'normal' could a conversation be when taking place within a novel?

"Food's ready," Grace said as she sat down in one of the chairs at the tiny dining table.

Pushing himself to his feet, Micah limped over and sat down across from her. He waited for Grace to serve herself first, but she piled food onto his plate while saving a much smaller portion for herself. He didn't argue - instead, he quietly picked up his utensils and began eating. Grace did the same, and soon the cabin was filled with nothing but the soft sounds of silverware clinking against plates.

"Oh my god, this is almost physically painful," Yang said, watching the two characters eat in silence.

"Their thoughts are internal at the moment," Blake explained, but Yang shook her head.

"No, I mean I'm starving - and look at what they're eating! Damn, that looks good."

Turning to the side, Blake could tell it was a joke by the sparkle in Yang's eyes. This was a hint of the version of Yang that Blake had seen from afar - the one who was almost always smiling about something. Up close, it was more than that. Yang didn't smile for no reason - she smiled because she _found_ a reason to smile.

"You're easier to talk to than I expected," Blake confessed.

"Do I seem difficult to talk to?"

Feeling Yang's gaze upon her, Blake watched Grace and Micah both reach towards the last piece of bread before flinching away from each other. "No…" she replied, "It's just that you're normally surrounded by other people."

"Is that intimidating, or like...off-putting...to you?"

Blake turned towards the serious question and thought about her answer before replying. "It is a little intimidating. Personally, I've never found it easy to break into other social groups, especially uninvited."

"Oh..." Yang mulled over that admission before smiling. "But you can totally talk to me whenever. I mean, I'd kinda like it if you did. If you want to. Don't worry about the other people - I see them enough already."

Surprised and flattered by the open invitation - which was genuine enough that Blake might just take Yang up on the offer - she only tore her eyes away from Yang when she heard Micah clear his throat.

"You go ahead and take it," he mumbled, nodding towards the piece of bread. Grace instantly bristled at being given permission to eat her own food, but held those biting comments at bay.

"You need it more than I do," she said instead. With one hand, she shoved the plate over to Micah and turned away. She turned back, however, when he took the bread as instructed. Huffing to herself - somewhat in indignation, somewhat in annoyance - she ate another bite of her food with a frown creasing her brow.

Heart buzzing in anticipation at what was to come, Blake grinned at Yang and nodded towards Micah - watching as he broke the bread in half and deliberately put the larger piece back on the plate. When he pushed it over to Grace, she immediately lost the annoyed expression and gave him a look of surprise.

"This is just like the bread my mom used to make," he said, tearing off a bite and popping it in his mouth. "She taught my sister, but...I wasn't expected to know things like that."

"Oh my god," Yang breathed out, her eyes glued to the table while Grace reached over and took the last half of bread. "They're going to bond over bread."

Blake muffled a giggle at the comment. The way Yang was seeing it, yes, that was absolutely correct. This was the turning point in their relationship - and it had everything to do with a piece of bread and a small act of self-sacrifice.

"l could teach you sometime. If you want."

Grace made the offer sound flippant and dismissive, but after surviving the harshness of the previous few chapters Micah knew it was as much of an olive branch as he might ever see.

"I'd like that," he answered, smiling even though Grace refused to look his way. "If I ever make it home, Isabelle will be so surprised."

"You'll make it home."

The resoluteness in the response surprised them both, but Grace carried on regardless. "As soon as the snow melts, you'll be well enough to make your way home. If the war hasn't reached us by then."

Micah thought about the comment for several seconds before nodding his head and tearing off another hunk of bread. The table lapsed back into silence, but the tension had eased - as if the characters were no longer brooding over their own worries and were now willing to consider and accept the worries of those around them.

"He's not going to leave her here, is he?" Yang asked while the characters finished their meal. "All by herself? When there's a war or something going on?"

"You'll see…" Blake replied, the words making Yang laugh.

"You mean I'll see once I read the book," Yang clarified. "But I _won't_ get to see now."

"Oh. Right."

Laughing again, Yang shook her head.

"This would've gotten me to read a _lot_ more when I was a kid..."

When Grace finished her meal, stood, and picked up her plate, Micah practically jumped to his feet.

"l got it," he said, gesturing for the plate in her hands.

"Micah, you can hardly stand -"

"l can lean against the counter," he said before giving her a beseeching look. "You've done everything else - let me have a little pride?"

Grace was reluctant, but let go of her plate and watched Micah carefully stack them before limping over to the sink. Unable to help herself, she picked up the rest of the dishes and took them to his side, but after setting them down she moved back to the table.

As Micah washed the dishes, Grace watched. Her brow was furrowed at first, as if unsure how she felt about this change in their dynamic, but eventually she relaxed and a tiny smile slipped onto her lips.

And then Grace and Micah faded away.

"That's a love story waiting to happen!" Yang exclaimed, hopping over to where Grace had just been and turning back to Blake. "Did you see that?" she asked, pointing towards empty air. "She just smiled!"

"She did smile," Blake agreed, loving Yang's excitement in the story. It was remarkable to watch in person as Grace tried to be more reasonable, while Micah did everything in his power to repay her for saving his life.

The two of them weren't meant to be together, but they _could_ be together.

"The story gets better from here," Blake added, the comment earning Yang's full attention.

"Do they get together?" Yang asked. "Do they fall in love? Does the war reach them? Does he have to go back? Do they live here forever?"

Laughing at the rapid list of questions, Blake shook her head.

"You'll see -"

"You just like saying that, don't you?"

The question was teasing, but Blake thought about it seriously.

"Yes, kind of," she answered, smiling when Yang laughed.

"I have _so_ many questions."

"Save them for the next chapter," Blake replied, watching the cabin blur around them as the environment shifted away from this place.

The crackle of the fireplace disappeared, and the warm glow it generated was replaced by grey stone that was anything but welcoming. Worn tapestries that had seen much better days were hanging on the walls. The torches running along the massive hallway were lit - the flickering glow cast eerie shadows that leaped up and down the walls with a life of their own, but any amount of light was better than the darkness that normally shrouded these halls.

Staring at their new surroundings, Yang spun in a slow circle before her excited eyes fell upon Blake.

"But we're already _in_ the next chapter!"


	5. Chapter 4 - Beauty and the Beast

**I struggle with A/Ns on a good day...typing one every day is destined for failure!**

 **This entire story is up for Patrons already, btw, if you can't wait the next few days for the end. I'll also be typing up a commentary for them that will explain the chapters in a little better detail :)**

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" _Now_ we're in the next chapter," Blake agreed while her eyes adjusted to the lower light provided by periodically-placed torches.

The halls were better lit than at other points in this particular story, but the lack of nearby windows gave everything a distinct dungeon-like feel that was hard to escape. If not for the faded tapestries on the walls and the dusty suits of armor, Blake could easily be convinced that they were in a medieval prison.

Yang seemed to feel the same about their newest environment, as she took a good look around and faked a shiver.

"Is it just me, or is this place a little creepy?"

"Don't worry," Blake replied, even though Yang's ever-present grin didn't need reassurance. "I'd say this is the _least_ creepy of the chapters."

"Considering we already had a dead guy's voice speaking to us from the beyond while the sun and moon did some crazy stuff, I hope you're right."

Before Blake could respond, the sound of voices drifted down the hall - the effect of the cavernous space sending words and conversation far further than one would expect them to go. Quickly picking up the sound, Yang tilted her head and gave Blake a look.

"I'm guessing we go that way?" Yang asked, pointing towards the source of the noise and beaming when Blake nodded. "The story beckons!" she declared while confidently setting off to find the speakers. "And who will it be this -"

They'd only made it five feet before Yang suddenly backed straight up - crashing into Blake and nearly knocking them both to the ground if Blake hadn't put her hands on Yang's back and taken a step back to catch her balance.

"There's hope, after all!" a lively candlestick said, hopping across the hall in front of them.

"We don't know that," a clock replied, waddling after his friend.

"Come on, Cogsworth - admit it! She might just break the spell!"

The answer was a grumble that muffled when the two characters turned the next corner. Eventually, the sound of their voices disappeared entirely, but even after silence returned Yang remained frozen in place.

When she finally moved, it was to turn to Blake with an expression of complete dismay.

"That was a talking clock."

"That was," Blake replied, stifling the urge to laugh at the pure shock Yang was displaying.

Between the dragon, the sun and moon, the wolf...and now a talking clock and candlestick, they'd experienced quite the array of unique characters so far. But this one Yang should know - this one was a classic.

When everything clicked into place - Cogsworth, Lumière, a spell, a dark castle - Yang broke into a huge smile.

"It's Beauty and the Beast!" When Blake nodded, Yang laughed and looked after the characters who'd just passed by. "A classic! Finally, a story I know. But...what chapter are we in?"

Smiling at Yang's enthusiasm, Blake waved down the hall in the opposite direction Lumière and Cogsworth had just gone. "Let's go find out," was all she said, not wanting to ruin the surprise.

Yang willingly fell into step beside Blake as they moved down the hall and turned right when they reached the intersection of another hallway. This hall looked exactly the same as the previous one, but might be moderately cleaner - it looked like someone had recently made an attempt to dust the suits of armor, at least.

"You've done this chapter before, haven't you?"

"What gave that away?" Blake asked, surprised that Yang had already drawn that correct conclusion.

"It looks like you know exactly where you're going."

That was a pretty clear giveaway, and one Blake couldn't refute as their destination loomed up ahead.

"I _might_ have seen this chapter once or twice before," she admitted. "It's one of my favorites."

"I can't wait to see why."

The comment filled Blake with an unmistakable warmth as her appreciation for Yang's company grew. There was something very flattering about the way Yang said those words - spoken as if her interest in this chapter had as much to do with watching the story unfold as it did with figuring out Blake's reasons for including it.

Yang was truly paying attention, and that made Blake feel...special.

"I think you'll be able to figure it out," Blake finally replied as they approached a room situated at the end of the hall. They could hear more voices now - filtering through the open doorway and drifting towards them.

Knowing what they would find inside - and wanting to see Yang's reaction to it - Blake motioned for her to go in first - which she willingly did.

And the second Yang stepped around the corner, her jaw dropped in surprise.

Standing in the middle of the room, gazing into a mirror while a large, lively wardrobe hovered over her shoulder, was Belle. Although she appeared hesitant about the event she was dressing up for this evening, she looked positively radiant in her golden gown, which sparkled under the light of the chandelier hanging above.

"Oooh my goddd."

Any fear from the first chapter gone, Yang walked right over to Belle and circled around her while admiring her outfit. "Wow. I mean, I know they said she was pretty, but they were wrong. She's absolutely _gorgeous_!"

"She is," Blake agreed, although that term could easily be applied to either of the two girls standing before her.

With Yang and Belle so close together, it was possible to make a determination of who was prettier...and Yang won. While Belle exuded hope and grace, Yang radiated warmth and life. They were both beautiful, and both worthy of living in a far more magnificent castle than this. But if Blake was ever given the challenge of choosing between the two, she knew exactly who she'd pick.

"I'd _kill_ for this dress," Yang added, taking a step back when Belle spun in a circle and the audience in the room 'ooh'd and 'ahh'd in admiration. "Like, literally. You sure we can't take things home?"

When Yang sent a hopeful look her way, Blake smiled and shook her head.

"Unfortunately not. Otherwise, I'd have a pet dragon."

Bursting into laughter, Yang nodded and said "Touché," before moving to the side as Belle made some last minute adjustments to her hair. "I'm totally doing my hair like this sometime. I'll be the _belle_ of the ball."

When Yang grinned at the joke, Blake laughed - mostly finding it funny that Yang was so pleased by the pun.

"I'm sure you will be," she replied, smiling when Yang went back to admiring Belle's outfit. Finished with her hair, Belle lowered her arms and gently picked up the outer layer of her gown.

"What do you think?" she asked, nerves evident in her posture.

"You look beautiful!" the wardrobe replied, the compliment earning a modest smile in return.

"I'm with the dresser," Yang added with a firm nod. "Eleven out of ten - love it."

Taking a deep breath, Belle seemed partially reassured by the wardrobe's (and Yang's) comments. She stopped fiddling with her dress and straightened up with a bright, honest smile.

The moment was broken by a rattling noise outside the door - the sound causing the characters to turn as a tea cart rolled through to greet them.

"Mrs. Potts!" Yang exclaimed, rushing over to take a better look at the cheerful tea kettle. "One of my favorite characters ever."

"Oh dearie - you look wonderful," Mrs. Potts said, rushing around Belle in a full circle in order to take in the full effect before screeching to a stop in front of her. "Are you ready?"

Faced with the question, Belle checked her reflection in the mirror one last time. She was openly nervous about what was to come, as she only barely understood the feelings blossoming in her heart, but she still smiled at her new friends.

"Thank you for all your help," she said, ever gracious. "I couldn't have done this without you."

As they accepted her gratitude and offered words of encouragement, Belle followed Mrs. Potts out of the room, her dress swishing along the ground as she went. She was hardly out of earshot before the wardrobe dramatically leaned against the wall and sighed with hope before hurrying out the doorway after the pair.

"You probably want to follow them," Blake said, moving to follow Belle and her companions towards the ballroom herself. Before she could get very far, Yang reached out, grabbed her by the arm, and pulled her close.

"I'm _so_ excited about this," Yang whispered as they walked down the stone halls of the castle. "Look, I'm practically shaking!"

When Yang raised one hand in front of them, Blake saw that she was, in fact, nearly quivering in excitement. The feeling was mutual, but Blake's nerves had more to do with Yang holding her so close than the story she'd seen several times before.

She was grateful for the prior knowledge at this point because she was finding it increasingly difficult to focus on anything but Yang - especially when Yang's side was pressed against her own. They'd never been this close for this long before...but Blake found it was more comfortable than she would have imagined. Exhilarating, thrilling, and exciting...but comfortable.

As they walked through the corridors, the sounds of voices drifted across them - a sign that the castle was currently bustling with life. Tonight, the days of stony silence were completely forgotten - instead, excitement and hope abounded. Through it all, Belle's dress shone like the sun - an unavoidable beacon promising better times to come.

With every step they took, Yang's eyes flitted from one side of the hall to the other. The tapestries, the suits of armor, the stained glass windows - none of it escaped her gaze. Blake paid the castle decorations no mind, finding it more enjoyable to watch Yang soak in the atmosphere.

"Do you like this story?" Blake finally ventured to ask. Lilac eyes immediately locked onto her, gleaming with an answer to that question.

"It's one of my _absolute_ favorites," Yang answered before her attention was caught by the end of the hallway approaching them - the rest of the chapter mere moments away.

Blake smiled at the answer while Yang squeezed her arm in anticipation. It had been entirely unintentional, but she was glad that she'd managed to pick a story Yang loved. Now this could be something they'd both enjoy.

Coming to a stop in front of an ornate door that was far more exquisite than the initial hallways they'd walked through, Mrs. Potts moved out of the way and nodded towards it.

"Here we are," she said, her soft voice providing gentle encouragement for Belle to move forward on her own.

They'd made it, and beyond the door was the man who'd alternatively frustrated and scared Belle like no other. But then something changed - whether it was him, her, or a combination of both, Belle was nervous and excited for what was to come.

When Belle took a deep breath in anticipation, Yang pulled Blake even closer. And when Belle found the courage to step through the door, they were close behind.

It was like walking into another world. The stone walls and flickering torches disappeared - replaced by magnificent white walls decorated in gold and adorned with royal blue draperies - while the dusty suits of armor and torn tapestries gave way to a polished brass banister leading down red-carpeted stairs to the marble floor below.

Hearing Yang suck in a breath of awe at the beautiful space, Blake smiled.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" she whispered, her smile growing when all Yang could do was nod as she continued to stare.

Gathering her dress, Belle delicately stepped down the stairs and stopped on the landing midway to the floor below. The Beast, dressed in his royal blue suit, stood on the balcony across the room from them.

He was every bit as nervous as Belle but, when prodded forward, he took a deep breath and swept down the stairs to meet her. Clasping hands as if they'd been separated for far too long, he smiled down at her - and whatever nerves the two of them had been feeling disappeared as the Beast gently led them down the remaining steps and towards the ballroom.

"This is the best part of the entire story," Yang said excitedly, sliding her hand down to Blake's and tugging her down the steps.

Taken by surprise that they were now holding hands, Blake's heart started doing cartwheels in her chest - but she made no attempt to pull away. Instead, she savored the sensation of their hands clasped together and fought a blush as Yang led them after the main characters.

Making their way down the stairs and across the marble floor, Yang's eyes swept in every direction while she attempted to take in as much of the room as possible. From personal experience, Blake knew that it was breathtaking each and every time - no matter how many of the details were memorized - but she wouldn't stop Yang from trying to commit every nook and cranny to memory.

But this first room was only the beginning of beauty within the castle walls, with the most exquisite section located across from the grand staircase and through two towering doors that Belle and the Beast swept through without a second thought.

Modestly slowed down by Yang's intent analysis, Yang and Blake stepped through the doorway a few moments later and found themselves in the ballroom. Yang let out a soft gasp as the warm lights draped over them, followed by an awestruck, "Wow..." that trailed off while she looked at the brilliant chandelier sparkling above.

It was just as resplendent as Blake remembered - the golden pillars draped with dark blue curtains, the expanse of windows in front of them creating a wall of stars, the polished marble floor, the gleaming grand piano playing soft notes from the corner, the painted ceiling up above - it was one of the most magnificent scenes she'd seen in any story she'd ever observed.

But today, it was far more enjoyable to watch Yang's reaction to it all.

"This is...the most amazing thing…" Yang said while staring towards the middle of the room, where the Beast hesitantly accepted Belle's hand before they glided across the floor for a dance. With every step, the Beast grew more confident and assured in his motion, and Belle willingly allowed him to lead her throughout the room.

Turning towards Yang, who was still staring at the characters in stunned disbelief, Blake smiled. Feeling the gaze, Yang tore her eyes away from the story unfolding in front of them and suddenly realized that she was still holding Blake's hand. Quickly dropping it, she flashed Blake an embarrassed smile before turning her attention back to the couple on the dance floor.

"I thought he'd be scarier-looking," Yang admitted, smiling when they heard Belle's light laughter drift across them.

"When he's not dressed up, maybe."

Sticking near the pillars lining the sides of the room, Yang moved further from the door. She glanced over her shoulder to see if Blake was following, and smiled when she was. Moving from one pillar to the next, pausing by each to watch the characters sweeping throughout the room, Yang eventually stopped when they reached the middle of the large space.

"Just look at them…" she said, staring in awe as Belle and the Beast glided by, perfectly in sync and smiling at each other. "They're totally falling in love."

Turning away, Yang caught Blake's eyes for only a brief second before looking around the room instead.

"They have company too -" Nudging Blake's arm, Yang nodded towards the other characters attempting to stealthily watch from the corners of the room.

"But they only have eyes for each other," Blake added, smiling at the two characters who'd found a way past their differences.

She loved this scene because she could feel the love in the air, clinging to the characters and filling the halls with joy. Maybe there were difficult times ahead, but emotions were building and unlocking at this moment - emotions that neither of them could fight.

It didn't make sense, but it didn't need to make sense as long as they could feel it - and as long as they were willing to follow their hearts.

"God, they're just so…" Words trailing off, Yang suddenly turned to Blake as if a huge realization had just struck her. "Wait. They can't see us."

"You're right," Blake answered with a nod and curious smile.

"Then...we could dance too."

Taken aback by the comment, Blake only managed to say, "Uh…" before Yang's eyes filled with excitement.

"We can, right?" she asked, her expression begging Blake to say 'yes.' "Please? When's the next time you'll have a chance to dance someplace this beautiful?"

Blake had never considered dancing here _period_ , but there was no opportunity to decline since Yang had already taken Blake by the hand and was pulling her out of the periphery of the room. Again, Blake made no attempt to stop her - she was far more interested in seeing what would happen next.

Once they left the shelter of the pillars behind, Yang raised Blake's hand and prompted her into a spin. Beaming when Blake obliged and spun in a circle, Yang then stepped forward and hesitated before reaching out and placing one hand on Blake's waist.

Yang was standing close now, with one hand resting on Blake's side and her other gently holding Blake's up in the air. Blake's heart rate was climbing at their proximity, and it certainly didn't slow when Yang looked down at her and smiled.

In all the times Blake had watched this chapter, soaking in the budding romance in the air, she'd never considered leaving the edge of the room. She'd never considered joining Belle and the Beast in their dance. She'd never considered that she could participate in this moment as well.

But she'd also never considered that she would have company...

With Yang taking the lead, Blake smiled and took a step forward when Yang stepped back, then stepped left when Yang stepped...right on her foot.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Yang immediately said, dropping Blake's hand and reaching out to help while Blake lifted her trounced upon foot off the floor. "God, I'm such a klutz - are you ok?"

Shaking her head at what had only been a short, temporary pain, Blake laughed and raised her arms so they could try again.

"Don't worry. That didn't hurt...much," she teased when Yang hesitantly returned to her. And when Yang took a deep breath and haltingly led them to the right, Blake realized something.

Yang Xiao Long, the most beautiful girl at Vale University, was blessed with two left feet.

"Wow, you're surprisingly bad at this." The comment slipped out before Blake thought it through, but Yang's response was a burst of laughter.

"I appreciate the honest assessment of my dancing skills!" Yang replied, tripping over her feet when she tried to give Blake a grin and move at the same time. "This isn't exactly the type of dancing I'm used to."

When Yang stumbled again, Blake couldn't help but laugh. Seeing as how Yang was the one who proposed this idea, it was adorable to watch her struggle so mightily with it - all so that she could dance next to Beauty and the Beast.

"I have an idea," Blake said after narrowly avoiding another foot stomping. Standing in place, she shifted their hands and gave Yang an encouraging smile. "Let me lead."

The suggestion was met with a beam - Yang gladly accepting their change in positioning. Butterflies immediately fluttered through Blake's chest, but she took a deep breath and tried to prevent them from scrambling her thoughts. Shyly reaching out, she set her hand on Yang's waist before Yang rested her own arm on top of Blake's.

"Step in the direction I'm stepping," Blake instructed. "And follow my hands."

With her hand on Yang's waist, Blake gently pulled forward while taking a step back. When Yang matched the motion, Blake smiled. Using the heel of her hand, she softly pushed while taking a step forward - Yang's reaction was delayed, but she managed to step back in time to avoid being stepped on.

"See? It's not too hard." Leading them to the left, then into a gentle turn, Blake smiled when Yang reacted perfectly.

"How are you such a good dancer?"

"I've taken a few lessons," Blake admitted. "My parents must've thought I'd be the next great ballroom dancer."

"Looks like you are!"

Blushing at the compliment, Blake ducked Yang's eyes and looked at the rest of the room as it passed them by. The main characters were in the center, lost in their own world, but that left plenty of space for Blake and Yang to dance at their own pace. Maybe they weren't able to glide across the room, but at a slow, steady pace Yang was able to keep up admirably.

"You're doing really well," Blake said, blushing again at the gratitude that comment immediately earned her.

"Good teaching - and good leading," Yang replied, accidentally taking a bigger step forward than Blake had taken back and ending up with the two of them nearly pressed together.

Blake corrected the error when she moved away, but her blush only grew when her mind refused to forget that temporary bit of closeness.

"Ok, I have a confession to make - I had a _huge_ crush on Belle when I was younger," Yang said, turning to watch as Belle and the Beast swept by. Turning back to Blake, Yang grinned. "Must be the dark hair."

This time it was Blake who stumbled over her own feet, caught off guard by a comment with a potential meaning she couldn't unsee.

"And now that you've seen her in person?" she asked, turning to the side to look at Belle. Yang did the same but immediately turned back to Blake with a growing smile.

"Second most beautiful girl in the room."

Averting her eyes while blushing at the flattery, Blake's mind was already searching for a way to casually deflect it. Thankfully finding one, she playfully narrowed her eyes.

"You're including yourself, aren't you…"

When Yang laughed, her eyes sparkled with delight - vivid lilac twinkling under the lights of the chandelier.

"I'd put myself fourth," she replied, grinning when Blake raised her brow. "After Mrs. Potts."

Blake laughed at the joke, and Yang's grin only grew - as if making Blake laugh was one of the most rewarding things Yang could do.

"Ok, let's put your new skills to the test," Blake said, hoping for a change in subject that would allow her blush to fade. "We're going to try a spin - think you can do that?"

"Sure, I can spin. I just don't know if I can do it without hurting someone."

"We'll go slow at first," Blake added, "I'll lead you out with my hand and then you spin back into me. You've seen this in the movies, right?"

"Yes…"

Yang was unsure, but Blake was willing to risk her feet for this endeavor.

"Let's just try," she pressed, nodding and motioning Yang away from her.

Moving slowly, Yang spun as Blake moved their joined hands up and around her head. Making it out to the end of both of their arms' lengths, Yang grinned and then slowly twirled back to Blake. She made a quarter turn too many, and ended up pressing into Blake before stopping.

Whether it was a mistake or intentional, Yang turned towards Blake and grinned. With their faces mere inches apart, Blake blushed and scooted a step away.

"Try again?" she asked, realizing that Yang had an uncanny ability to make her blush no matter the topic.

"Of course!"

Pulling them out of the way when Belle and the Beast danced past, Blake set their hands again and then slowly directed Yang into a spin. This time, she twirled faster and with more confidence. Extending her arm at the far side of the spin, Yang came back to Blake and stopped at just the right moment - their hands clasping together once more.

"Perfect." Leading them back into their slow dance, Blake smiled at Yang's success. "Now we try to spin and then keep dancing without stopping."

"That sounds more difficult." Briefly looking down at her feet to make sure she wasn't too close to Blake, Yang looked over at Belle and grinned. "Who do you think I am - some like, super perfect princess?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Blake noticed that their own princess was walking out of the room with her new prince - the two of them heading towards the balcony just outside. Under ordinary circumstances Blake would prompt them to follow, but...these didn't feel like ordinary circumstances.

The two of them had the dance floor all to themselves - and Blake wanted to enjoy this moment while it lasted.

"I think you're perfect enough to throw a spin into our dance," Blake said, smiling when Yang easily matched the next few steps.

"Alright," Yang agreed with a nod. "Let's do it!"

"Ok - get ready." Stepping to the left, and then back, Blake held Yang's eyes intently. "One...two...three…"

On 'three," Blake paused her feet and used her arm to lead Yang away. Once Yang reached the length of their two arms, she spun back to Blake - who, this time, pressed her hand back to Yang's waist as soon as the rotation was complete and smoothly led them into the next step.

It was practically flawless - especially considering that Yang still needed to glance down at her feet every so often to make sure she didn't trip over them.

"That was perfect," Blake said, smiling as she led them into another turn. Beaming at the word, Yang squeezed Blake's hand in appreciation.

It felt like they could stay like this forever - smiling at each other while gliding across the ballroom floor in their slow, yet comfortable dance. Eventually, Yang glanced away, looking out the window at the stars twinkling beyond before finding Blake's eyes once more.

"Ok, I'm totally in love."

"With what?"

When Yang smiled, her eyes sparkling under the light of the chandelier, and Blake felt her heart skip a beat.

"With this," Yang replied, the simple answer providing little illumination while Blake led her into another slow spin.

But Blake left the question alone, satisfied with imagining what it might be about this moment that Yang was so fond of. The budding romance in the air, the intimate yet grand surroundings, the pleasant company...Blake might very well be in love with this moment too.

How could she not be? They were dancing in a fairytale. It felt too surreal to be true, but whenever Blake met Yang's eyes her heart fluttered in a way that was unmistakably real. She could feel Yang's hand - soft and warm - clasped within her own. She could feel the fabric of Yang's shirt under her other. And she could definitely feel the heat emanating from Yang, their close proximity allowing them to share that intimate sensation.

In all the chapters Blake had ever experienced, she'd never considered the possibilities of having someone else with her. Now...she wished that this moment would continue for far longer. Sharing this experience with Yang took her out of her traditional role as an observer and allowed her to fully embrace the moment - to experience some of the nerves and fluttering feelings that Belle herself must have been feeling.

The story had moved away from them, but the two of them kept dancing until the environment began to blur. It was only then that they came to a stop, Blake finally letting go of Yang's hand and taking a step away to put a polite amount of space between them.

Their loss of closeness made Blake's skin tingle in longing as she rubbed one of her arms and tried to commit the feeling of Yang's warmth to memory.

"Thanks for the dance," Yang said with a smile.

"The pleasure was all mine," Blake replied. Her voice came out soft as she was caught up in Yang's eyes, which were an even more beautiful shade of purple than she remembered.

"Should I even bother asking what's next?"

For a second, Blake couldn't even remember what chapter was supposed to come next. It was only when the remarkable ballroom disappeared and was replaced by the dull, tan interior of a tent that she recalled the next stop on their journey across genres.

"Oh, I think you'll enjoy this one," was all she said.


	6. Chapter 5 - AU

**I mentioned something about author's notes yesterday, didn't I? Yeah, they're hard. Also, does this week feel really long to anyone else? Or is it just me? I'm not usually on this website so often...**

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The tent contained very little outside of a thin sleeping mat, two mismatched wooden chairs, and a dirty bag that must hold clothes or other personal belongings. The edge of the flap leading into the tent wasn't fastened shut, making an incessant fluttering noise that would kick up and die down with the wind whistling by outside.

Compared to the elegance of the castle ballroom, this environment was worn and dirty - the result of creating a living situation at the edge of the world.

"Huh...you know just what I like," Yang joked, motioning to the sleeping mat on the dirt floor. "Who needs a mattress these days, anyway?"

"You've never gone camping before?" Blake asked, playfully raising her brow.

"I have, but it wasn't quite like this. For one thing, our tent was bright yellow!"

Chuckling at the image of a bright yellow tent pitched right outside school grounds (or somewhere that wasn't far from a hot shower), Blake took a good look around the interior for herself. As she'd imagined, there wasn't much to look at. Why should there be? This living arrangement was nothing more than temporary - meant to provide shelter, not comfort.

In the midst of her analysis, the unmistakable sound of footsteps approached them. A few seconds later, the flap of the tent fully unzipped and a woman ducked through, followed closely by a man - both wearing full suits of armor, which explained their heavier-than-normal footsteps.

Once they were both inside, the man zipped the tent closed and followed his companion over to the chairs.

"Ok, damn," Yang said as the woman walked past them - her features striking and beautiful compared to this dull, basic world. "You _do_ know what I like."

When the woman sat down in one of the chairs with a sigh, Yang shot Blake a grin.

"But she's still only the second most beautiful girl in the...tent."

Blake blushed at the compliment, but thankfully the man walked past them then - his armor creaking softly as he sat in the chair across from the woman. To say he was worn down was an understatement. His brown hair was a spiky mess, the bags under his eyes were pronounced from lack of sleep, and his hands shook from general exhaustion.

His companion was just as tired, but doing a better job of hiding it. Her long, blonde braid still shone against her dark armor. There was nothing she could do to hide the dark circles under her eyes, but if her hands were trembling she hid it by clenching her fingers into fists.

"They look like they've been through hell," Yang commented, watching the pair as they sat in silence.

"Only the beginning of it," Blake whispered.

Moving closer, she stooped down to admire their sets of armor. Unique to every person, each was cast with a series of intricate engravings that gave away rank and status - add in the dents and battle scars, and every suit was a story told in pictures rather than words. Their weapons were just as ornate, and passed down through generations of warriors.

But their weapons and armor were only the beginning of the story, as their true source of power lay hidden within their minds.

"Soldiers?" Yang asked, watching the two characters study a dirty piece of paper the woman had just pulled out.

"Yes, soldiers. But they're the leaders here," Blake explained.

"Oh crap - and there's probably going to be a big battle, right?"

"They'll be here soon," the woman interrupted, her brow creased with concern as she lowered the map and looked towards the entrance of the tent. "If we can hold out long enough, Markos will arrive to help -"

"And if we don't?"

The question drew the woman's intent gaze for a long moment before she abruptly stood and paced across the tent, having little difficulty moving in her armor.

"We will. If we make it to the back lines and cut down the wielders…" The man stood with her, but she hardly gave him a second glance while continuing her pace. "We'll hold them. We have to."

"Bree…"

Drawing her gaze back to his own, the man sighed and shook his head.

"I don't know how much I have left…" he admitted. Extending his left arm, swirls of icy blue raced down the armor covering his wrist before culminating in the palm of his hand. Immediately intrigued, Yang stepped closer to see what it was, and Blake moved to follow.

Upon his gloved hand was the image of a wolf - an icy-blue visage that prowled restlessly across his palm before curling into a ball and going to sleep.

Reaching out, Bree pressed his fingers closed and pulled his hand to her heart.

"Just one more, Cy," she whispered as the lines of blue slowly faded from his armor. "Just one more...and if it consumes us both, so be it."

He stared into her eyes for the longest time before finally nodding - just once, as if anything more would be too much effort.

"You know I'm with you," he replied, his voice gentle and low. "I'll always be with you."

Still clutching his hand, Bree didn't let go and didn't shy away from his gaze. Instead, she embraced it - and willingly returned it.

"They're going to kiss, right?" Yang whispered to Blake. But the moment was destroyed by the sound of a loud horn outside the tent. The noise caught the characters' attention, and they turned towards it with varying degrees of anticipation, worry and hope in their eyes.

"It's time," Bree said, setting her jaw and dropping their joined hands in order to move towards the exit.

"Bree." Reaching out, Cy touched her on the arm before she could walk away, turning her back to him. Under her searching gaze, he shrank away - as if suddenly uncertain of what he wanted to say.

Determination won out in the end, as he took a deep breath and pushed forward.

"If this is the end, I just want you to know -"

Before he could finish that sentence, Bree stepped forward and kissed him. The action halted his words - first in surprise, and then in eagerness as he returned the kiss. He moved closer, his fingers tracing tenderly around her ear before cupping under her jaw and drawing her up to his lips. She followed his gentle direction - for just a few seconds completely surrendering to the rush of feelings - before placing one hand flat against his chest and breaking away.

"You can tell me after," she breathed out, her eyes searching his while expressing the same emotions he wanted to say out loud. "In this life or the next - tell me then."

Swallowing the words he'd already held in for so long, Cy nodded and motioned her towards the exit of the tent. "Then after you, milady."

"Nooo, you have to tell her now!" Yang immediately cut in, giving Blake a pleading look. "You can't wait - you have to tell her now!"

When the characters ignored her and walked outside, Yang put her head in her hands and groaned.

"You shouldn't wait," she said, dropping her hands and shaking her head. "Because you never know what will happen…" Her voice trailed off when she looked at Blake, who couldn't help but feel as if the comment somehow applied to her massively growing feelings for the girl who'd stumbled into this other world with her.

"You'll want to see the next part," Blake said instead of dwelling on that thought, moving to follow their characters outside. After slipping through the seam in the tent, she heard Yang gasp from behind her.

It looked like there had already been a battle won and lost at this place - that could be the only explanation for why the earth was charred and still appeared to smoke in the distance. There was nothing on the expanse in front of them but dark soil and broken trees - however, when Blake turned around she spotted the faint glow of a city far behind them. It was this city that was the last bastion of life in a world falling apart at the seams. It was this city that their main characters were willing to die to protect.

But Yang wasn't gasping at the scorched earth. She was gasping at the army standing outside the tent - rows and rows of worn-out soldiers standing in lines that, at one point, had been crisp and straight. Today, the lines were as haphazard and ragged as the men and women standing in them.

Maybe their order and discipline were unremarkable, but the soldiers themselves were unlike any Blake had ever seen before. They were also clad in intricate armor - not as opulent as that of the main characters, but still strewn with intricate designs. They also held weapons that were one-of-a-kind and unlike any other. But, in addition to their expressive armor, each soldier had one last piece of weaponry that would serve them far better than the weapons in their hands.

Standing by each soldier's side, or perched atop their shoulder, or fluttering above their heads, were larger versions of the animal specter Cy had displayed in the tent. From birds of prey to jungle cats to mere woodland creatures, each vision glowed brightly against the dark, trampled earth.

Bree and Cy were walking down the line of soldiers with their own spirits displayed proudly - a cold, sleek wolf moved stealthily beside the man while a tall, gleaming lion prowled by the woman's side. Their animal spirits said as much about them as their personalities did. He was a loner, she was a leader - yet somehow they found a way to work together.

"Wow…" Yang breathed out, her eyes moving from one soldier to the next. "Those are really cool…"

Blake smiled, finding that Yang's mystification at these foreign worlds was, many times, more enjoyable than experiencing the worlds themselves. Which was an amazing realization considering how much she loved spending time in these books on her own…

After walking past the entirety of their troops, Bree and Cy moved to the middle of the group and faced their compatriots. The golden lion sat gracefully by Bree's side, its long tail curling around its feet and its mane blowing in the wind. Cy took his place on Bree's other side, scanning the men and women in front of him with intense eyes. His blue wolf sat at his own side and did the same - looking up and down the line as if searching for weaknesses.

"I'm digging her confidence," Yang said out of the side of her mouth while watching Bree. The woman stood tall and proud, not an ounce of fear to be found in her appearance.

"This was what she was meant to do," Blake explained. "She was always meant to lead."

"And Cy?"

"He was...a last minute addition." Smiling at the look Yang sent her, Blake nodded towards Bree. "Are you ready to be inspired?"

"Oh, hell yes," Yang said, smiling as they both turned to watch.

There was a restless energy in the air as everyone waited for Bree to speak - as they all waited for the inevitable battle to be thrust upon them. Picking up on that energy, Yang kept shifting between her feet, and her arm kept brushing against Blake's as she did so.

Rather than lean away, Blake leaned into Yang's warmth - and Yang stopped moving with their arms gently pressed together.

"Spirians!" Bree called out to the group, causing silence to fall as all eyes and attention focused on her. The wind whipping across the open plain blew at the loose hairs sticking from the end of her blonde braid but failed to move her. "We've known this day was coming," she said, sending her stern gaze down the line of soldiers in front of her. "Now that it's here, we will find resolution. We will end this war once and for all!"

As cheers swept across the group, Bree paused and waited for them to die down before continuing.

"I'm not going to lie to you," she said. "This will be the fiercest battle we've ever fought, and there's no guarantee of success. But we've _never_ been guaranteed anything before - not in our lives, not in our parents' lives, not in any life of any Spirian who's ever lived."

As Bree's voice grew louder, the men and women in front of her nodded their heads and knocked their weapons against their armor in agreement. Even Yang was starting to nod, looking around at the other soldiers and becoming swept up in the anticipation.

"We don't need guarantees," Bree said, tilting her chin up proudly. "We've fought, and scratched, and clawed our way to success before - and we'll do it again. The Malumites might think they've won, but they've never fought a Spirian on a cloudy night. They've never met a Blaze on an open plain. Well...they will tonight. And they'll wish they never came to this place - as we send them all to the depths of Gehenna itself!"

More cheers erupted from the army - sounding like a single voice of approval at the battle to come.

"We _will_ hold this line," Bree said, her voice rising about the noise that grew in anticipation. "We _will_ hold this city. We _will_ see tomorrow - because we _will not be broken!_ "

As soon as the last word left Bree's lips, Cy's wolf raised its head and let out a loud howl. The sound tore through the night sky before it was joined by the roar of a lion, and then a chorus of other animals merged with shouts of people.

The army was ready as the enemy crested the hill in the background, looking like nothing more than a thin line of black steadily approaching under cloudy skies.

"That's all?" Yang asked, taking a good look at the enemies in comparison to the soldiers in front of them. "That seems like a pretty even fight."

"Watch," Blake replied, nodding towards the opposing force.

What initially appeared as a single line of enemies suddenly looked like two lines. It was a subtle change that could be misconstrued for poor eyesight, but then the two lines became three, and the three became four. Within seconds, what once looked like a surmountable opponent was now an entire mass of black on the horizon.

"Ooook. That looks...worse."

"Yup," Blake said, nodding when Yang looked at her in disbelief.

" _That's_ who they're fighting against?"

"Yes."

"And they hope to win?"

"They have to win. Otherwise, the world as they know it will end."

Jaw dropped, Yang looked at the rag-tag group of soldiers before turning back to the enemies in the distance.

"Oh god...they need a lot more than a good speech…"

The odds were heavily skewed, but their fearless leaders didn't flinch in the face of this enemy. Bree stood at attention, her posture straight and her proud lion prowling the space in front of her - he was the only indication that she was mulling through the battle to come and anxious for it to get underway. Cy saved one last look for Bree before turning away and steeling himself. He wanted the war to be over but, most importantly, he wanted to ensure Bree made it out of this unscathed.

"The Malumites are wielders, just like the Spirians," Blake explained. "But they deal in shadows instead of animals."

"And they can have more than one?" Yang asked.

"Depending on how skillful they are, yes."

When Bree raised her sword in the air, Blake nudged Yang and nodded to their right.

"We should probably head over there and loop around." Blake motioned out of the way of the army, but the look Yang gave her for the suggestion was incredulous, at best.

"What?" Yang asked in disbelief. "Why would we go that way? The battle's going to be right here!"

"It's going to be a complete mess," Blake answered, gesturing to the opposing armies. "We can watch from the edge and still make our way across to see the end of the chapter -"

"Skip the battle? But...but you're the one who walked right up to a dragon!" Yang said, raising one hand above her head to symbolize how tall Ember had been. "You have no fear! You heard that speech - we've got to go out there and help them win this fight!"

Blake had had no intentions of joining the fray because she knew it was going to be chaotic, but if that's what Yang wanted to do...

"Plus, we're invincible, right?" Yang added, giving Blake a look that begged a second confirmation.

"Yes, we are, but..."

"No buts!" Yang interrupted. Glancing over at Bree - who still had her weapon raised while the mass of shadows approached - Yang waved her hands in front of her. "Ok, you want my own motivating speech?"

The suggestion made Blake smile.

"That sounds like a great idea," she said, already looking forward to what Yang would come up with.

First grinning, Yang then cleared her throat and straightened her posture in an attempt to mimic their heroine.

"We may not have cool armor, weapons, spirit animals, or _any_ sort of training, but we're invisible and invincible." Yang's grin grew when Blake laughed. "So we can still help them win this fight!" she concluded with emphasis before extending her hand to Blake. "Are you with me?"

Faced with Yang's earnest expression, there was no way Blake could have said 'no.' There was no way she could even _want_ to say 'no.' Instead, she nodded and took Yang's hand.

"I'm with you."

Yang pumped her other fist in success while tenderly grasping Blake's hand and leading them closer to the back line of the Spirian army.

"Plus, I don't wanna brag or anything," Yang said. "But I've totally done one of those obstacle course things before."

A startled laugh slipped past Blake's lips at the unexpected comment.

"And that applies to this situation how?" she asked, giving Yang an amused look.

"It's basically the same thing! Run, dodge, climb - just...with fewer people trying to cause each other a lot of harm."

"Spirians!" Bree shouted when the enemy was nearly halfway across the plain. "Onward!"

Bree and Cy charged forward first - leading the way towards their foe. The soldiers were quick to follow, breaking into a sprint across the charred earth.

"Let's go!" Yang yelled, pulling Blake after the group before they got too far away.

The Malumite army reacted quickly, their shadows racing forward to clash with the Spirians at the midway point of the battlefield. As expected, any sense of order instantly dissolved into total chaos, with soldiers, animals, and shadows crashing into each other at every turn. Snarls, cries of pain, and shouts of fear filled the air as the battle got underway.

The main characters were already way out in front - a wolf and lion appearing and disappearing as they cleaved a path through shadows.

"This way!" Yang called out, leading Blake past several small skirmishes and towards what appeared to be a break in the battle. They raced towards it, but the gap suddenly filled with a group of shadows - shadows that raced directly towards them.

"Watch out!" Blake warned.

Skidding to a stop, Yang gripped Blake's hand tightly and tore off in another direction as a set of glowing hawks dove over their heads and attacked the first of the shadows. Yang then did a stutter step as a Malumite wielder tore past them and clashed with one of the Spirians.

"You ok?" Yang called over her shoulder as they started running again.

"Of - course -" Blake answered, although her breaths were coming in spurts now that they were running again. On instinct, she ducked as a falcon dove through the air near her head - glancing to the side as it latched onto one of the shadows with its talons.

"They're over there!"

Yang pointed off in the distance before leading them forward, racing from open space to open space and just barely squeezing through before the battle closed in on them. "We can make it through there!"

When Yang gestured towards a miniscule gap up ahead - one that was currently occupied by a single Malumite wielder - Blake immediately had her doubts.

"Yang…"

"Don't worry, we got this!"

With that vote of confidence, Yang squeezed Blake's hand while they raced directly towards a Malumite soldier. While his attention was trained elsewhere, Yang's strategy was clear - they could be able to slip past if the timing was just right.

But the path suddenly disappeared when another Malumite stepped in front of them. This one was wearing black robes with glowing lines of silver wrapping around him - marking him as elite amongst his kind. Mouth set in a scowl, he made little motion as a group of ten shadows appeared from nothing but air and shot forward.

"Ok - we don't got this!" Yang shouted, leading them in another direction, backtracking in order to find another way around.

As they dodged more fighting soldiers and flashing shadows, Blake started laughing - she couldn't help it. It was a little ridiculous that they were running around in the middle of a battle...and it was even more unbelievable that it was actually fun to do.

Finding a small pocket of inactivity near a piece of siege weaponry, Yang finally stopped and looked around.

"Where the heck did they go?" she asked, breathing heavily while scanning through the crowds of warring soldiers.

Blake glanced down at their hands first - still clasped together even though they were no longer running - before searching for the main characters. Fortunately, it was easy to spot Bree and Cy...because the rest of the story seemed to skirt around them.

"That way," Blake said, pointing in that direction when she caught the flash of a lion.

"How the heck did they get all the way over here?" Yang asked, tugging Blake away from their momentary sanctuary.

"They must be better at obstacle courses than you."

Laughing in delight at the tease, Yang led them back into the fray. They raced towards the massive individual battle in progress, narrowly ducking under an attacking jaguar on the way.

While the rest of the combat was relatively normal - or as normal as it could be in this mythical place - this zone of the battlefield existed entirely on its own. Spirians and Malumites alike stayed away from the large circle of space, for no other reason than the main characters were currently fighting there.

It would have been faster - and involved less running - if they'd just walked around the edge of the battle, but they made it to their destination regardless. Although Blake was now breathless from running, because apparently being invincible didn't also mean she was in impeccable physical form.

"Jeez...l need to...run more…" Yang huffed, pulling Blake a bit closer when a group of shadows whipped by. "But see? There's...room here."

When a Malumite in glowing silver robes suddenly hit the ground in front of them, Yang wrapped her arms around Blake's waist and pulled her into a protective embrace.

A wolf leaped at the man while he was still on the ground, but a shadow flung the creature to the side while two more shadows pulled the man back to his feet. He'd hardly regained his balance before Bree was swinging her sword into his side, with Cy attacking from the other direction. This particular enemy wasn't wielding a weapon of his own, but groups of shadows sprang from him in droves - each group deflecting attacks and pushing the heroes back.

"This guy is good -"

As Yang made the observation, the man sent at least ten shadows flashing around the two heroes in rapid succession. Using their swords and trusty animals, they destroyed each while slowly making their way closer - fighting for every inch to get back to their main foe.

Another wielder dared to join the battle at that moment, but Bree easily dismantled his shadows before Cy's wolf leaped over her head and took down the source. Yang flinched at the cry that abruptly cut off, but the characters immediately pressed towards their true enemy, undaunted by the minor interruption.

It was slow going - like walking headfirst into gale-force winds, while also protecting oneself from danger that appeared from any direction without warning.

Looking down at Yang's arms, which were still wrapped around her stomach, Blake found it immensely difficult to follow the battle in front of her as she fought a growing blush. Yang was likely too enthralled in the combat to realize what she was doing - instead, she pulled Blake even closer when Bree finally made it back to the Malumite and swung her sword towards his side before kicking out with one armored boot. Neither attack was successful, as shadows knocked the attempts off course.

Meanwhile, Cy was being held at bay - several yards away - by a relentless onslaught of shadows pouring his way.

Loud horns sounded in the distance, but Bree didn't acknowledge them as she focused on her enemy - her brow creased in determination.

"Help is here," Blake said, nodding off to the left, where another army had appeared on the horizon and was racing to join the chaos.

Turning that way and accidentally brushing her nose against Blake's hair in the process, Yang quickly dropped her hold and took a step away. Looking at the new arrivals, she then turned back to Bree - who was locked into a close combat fight with the leader of the Malumite army.

"They need to hurry -"

Cleaving through a torrent of shadows when they appeared, Bree's lion leaped towards the man and managed to grab him by the arm. A cry of pain laced the air, but he quickly used shadows to free himself from the lion's grasp and launched a counterattack as a tornado of shadows that necessitated Bree's full attention to block.

Meanwhile, Cy was making progress - looping around the side in order to split their enemy's attention in two separate directions. The strategy only seemed to anger the man more, as he unleashed a wave of shadows that shot like bullets in every direction.

One of the shadows passed so close to them that Yang jumped back in alarm. After realizing what she'd done, she gave Blake a sheepish smile.

"That scared the heck outta me," she admitted.

"Don't worry about it," Blake replied, knowing that she'd jolted in surprise at the same moment. Smiling at the response, Yang turned to the battle once more.

"How're they ever going to beat this dude?" she asked while Bree and Cy were pushed back once more. "They can't even get close enough to touch him."

At that moment, Cy's wolf launched itself towards the man's shoulder and made it through - knocking their enemy temporarily off balance. The opening was brief, but Bree immediately saw it...and didn't hesitate to take the opportunity.

The world suddenly slowed down - time actually inching forward as the penultimate moment played out before their eyes. The Malumite was already forming dozens of defensive shadows, which were coming to life by his side and darting forward. Bree was raising her sword in one hand, her eyes locked onto the weak spot she'd just discovered.

"Oh god."

Yang already knew what was going to happen next. As Bree slowly threw her arm forward, her fingers released their grip on the weapon, and a single shadow raced directly towards her. Her lion was out of position, Cy was out of position. The only thing she had to protect herself with, she'd just launched towards their enemy.

Time abruptly caught up. Bree's sword flew through the air and plunged through the Malumite's heart right as he stood up. At the same moment, a shadow flashed through Bree's armor - cutting right through the plating above her heart.

"Bree!"

A large section of shadows disappeared from the battlefield as the Malumite crumpled to the ground, but Bree collapsed to her knees not long after him. Blood was slipping from beneath her armor and pooling on the ground by her feet, while the lines of bright yellow drained from her armor. Rushing over, Cy caught her right before she fell and gently laid her on the ground.

Black shadows were being replaced by glowing Blazes as the Malumites - without the aid of their strongest leader - were falling back to regroup. A giant bear rumbled past, followed closely by the second army's commander.

"Cy!" the man called out. "Get her out of here!"

He raced onward as two soldiers appeared by Bree's side, ready to carry her to help.

"See...this is why you don't wait…" Yang whispered, watching the interaction with a frown.

"You can't leave me…" Cy pleaded, his armor burning brightly as Bree's lost its glow. His wolf sat by his side, watching solemnly while the medics lifted her onto a makeshift stretcher. "Bree, please don't leave me."

There was no response, and an anguished howl filled the air - lingering even after the characters faded away, leaving Yang and Blake alone on an empty battlefield. Making a sound of distress, Yang threw her hands in the air.

"But does she live? Does she survive? Jesus...these are all such cliffhangers!"

The response made Blake smile as she watched Yang pace back and forth.

"I _knew_ he shouldn't have waited," she muttered to herself, running a hand through her hair and glancing at the spot where Bree had just been laying. "Now look what happened! Now she might be dead. Great job, Cy. Greaaat freaking job. If you would've listened to me, this wouldn't have happened! Or she would've at least known how you felt!"

Yang was talking to herself, but Blake still felt compelled to speak. Because she and Cy had one thing in common - one thing that maybe she should stop hiding, as well.

"Yang?"

Yang immediately stopped pacing and walked back to Blake with an expectant expression.

"Yeah?"

"Can I tell you something?"

"Sure. You can tell me anything."

The smile that went with the words said just that - that Yang was willing to hear whatever Blake had to say. But what did she even want to say? She wasn't _in love_ with Yang, per se, but there were definitely strong feelings there - feelings that grew stronger with each passing chapter. Was she supposed to admit that she'd harbored a giant crush on Yang for years now? That she loved Wednesdays because that's when Yang came into the library? That she went out of her way to make sure Yang's favorite study room was always available?

"I'm glad you're here with me," she settled upon and, even though it wasn't close to what she originally intended to say, Yang's eyes lit up with happiness.

"Yeah?" Yang asked with a growing grin. "Even though I totally wasn't invited?"

Laughing at the question, Blake nodded her head and felt her prior uncertainty melt away.

"Even though you weren't invited," she replied, the honest answer making Yang smile widely.

"Well that makes me happy! Because I'm having a lot of fun. Once the initial shock wears off, this is really awesome. Plus, couldn't ask for better company." When Yang nudged her arm and winked, Blake felt her cheeks warm with a blush.

"...l couldn't either."

She would've turned away after the admission, but she loved the way Yang was looking at her right now - as if she was the only person in the world who existed. Well, technically she _was_ the only person who existed at this point, but there was more to it than that. It was a more intent gaze than any she could remember receiving before...and she remembered quite a few of them.

That gaze only ended with the blackened battlefield blurred.

"What's next?" Yang asked, looking around as changes began to take place.

"You keep asking, but I don't think you want me to tell you."

Yang laughed at Blake's response.

"That's true. I love a good surprise. Although...I think the initial surprise of being in a book was a _bit_ much, even for me."

"You've acclimated nicely."

"That's because…" Pausing to look around as the destroyed battlefield gave way to what appeared to be a regular city street, Yang then met Blake's eyes and smiled. "I like spending time with you."

The next chapter was about to start...but Blake was finding it more and more difficult to find anything more intriguing than their own story - which seemed to be evolving with every page.


	7. Chapter 6 - Realization

**Only a couple chapters to go! Thank you to everyone who's left a review :) Reviews keep people like me writing!**

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'I like spending time with you.'

Yang actually said the words out loud, didn't she? Or was Blake just imagining things?

There was no time to ask for clarification, as Yang's eyes drifted towards the new scene they found themselves in. They were standing on a regular cement sidewalk bordering a regular city street lined with regular apartment buildings. The most interesting aspect of this place was currently the weather - the sky was dark with grey clouds and a steady rain fell around them. Big raindrops splashed on the sidewalk, on the black street, and glowed against the light of the street lamps.

"Rain!" Spreading her arms out wide, Yang then stared when she didn't get at all wet. "Huh...well, l love the rain anyway."

"l do, too. Makes me want to curl up in a big chair -"

"With a good book?" Yang asked, finishing Blake's sentence with a grin.

"l would ask how you know that, but…" When Blake's words trailed off, Yang laughed.

"But you have magic bookmarks and work at a library, where you're basically always reading."

The last comment caught Blake's attention, and she arched a brow at Yang.

"How do you know I'm always reading?"

"l mean, whenever I look over you are."

That begged the question as to _how often_ Yang was looking over - and how Blake had failed to notice that happening - but Yang swung her arms and looked around.

"Where do we go?" she asked, gesturing both ways down a mostly empty street. Due to the heavy rain, it appeared that most people opted to stay inside versus venturing out.

Turning her attention to the story, Blake pursed her lips and tried to find a landmark that was mentioned in the book.

"I'm actually not...oh - there."

Spotting a person hurrying through the rain towards them, Blake pointed out their newest character. Holding an umbrella at an angle while the wind blew the rain directly towards him, the young man rushed past them and up the steps of a nearby apartment building.

"That way?" Yang asked.

"Well, we can head this way instead -" Blake replied, pointing down the street towards a park she could just barely see in the distance. "He'll eventually head that way."

"And miss part of the story?" Looking absolutely shocked by the suggestion, Yang shook her head. "You've already read these, but I haven't, remember? I don't wanna miss _any_ of the good stuff!"

It was true. Blake knew the story, so she knew what would happen inside the apartment building. She also knew that Yang's way was going to be much more...active. She could try to dissuade Yang, but she didn't really want to. Instead, she waved for Yang to lead the way and followed when Yang hurried up the steps and into the building.

Once inside, the sound of the rain faded into a soft background patter while they followed footsteps up a set of stairs to the second floor. In the hallway in front of them, they watched the man fold up the umbrella - shaking droplets of water all over the floor - before fumbling with his keys.

"Apartment four!" Yang commented, pointing to the brass number attached to the door. "Four's my lucky number!"

The offhand comment immediately peaked Blake's interest.

"l thought eight was your lucky number?" she asked, vividly remembering the day Yang had said as much.

"What? No, it's four. Has been since I was like...four." Yang grinned at the response, but Blake gave her an even more confused look in return.

A loud clattering noise broke the silence in the hall, drawing their attention to a set of keys that had just fallen to the floor. Without a second thought, Yang stooped down to pick them up, but her hand swiped right through them instead - the young man knelt down and scooped them up a few seconds later.

Giving her hand a curious look, Yang then shook her head and laughed.

"Keep thinking I can help."

Yang smiled, but Blake was still far too caught up on the previous comment.

"If four is your lucky number, then why do you always want Study Room 8?"

As soon as Blake asked the question, Yang froze. Her mouth dropped open as if she might respond, but no words came out.

They were still in that stalemate when the main character finally got the door open, which brought about the sound of a jingling collar and excited feet running towards the door. Only managing to take one step inside, the man knelt down to greet the ecstatic bulldog who'd run over to greet him.

"How ya doin', Mug?" he muttered, ruffling the dog's ears. "You keep the intruders away?"

Tearing her eyes away from Blake, Yang smiled and knelt down on the floor as the dog flopped over on his side - ready and waiting for some belly rubs from his owner.

"He's so cute!" Yang said, looking like she wanted to reach out and pet the dog herself. But Blake wasn't very interested in the character's loyal pet - she was still watching Yang for an answer.

There weren't many things about Yang that Blake could be positive about, but she _was_ positive that Yang said eight was her lucky number - that was the only rational excuse Blake had been able to give herself for saving that room for Yang each and every week.

"You're a good boy," the man said, giving Mug a few more pats on the head before standing up. Yang stood up as well, brushing off her hands and glancing Blake's way. The instant their eyes met though, she looked at the ground - so blatantly embarrassed about something that Blake tilted her head while waiting for an answer.

As their currently-ignored character opened cupboards in the kitchen, Yang cleared her throat and looked up.

"l, uh...I like that room because it's near the front of the library," she finally explained. It was not at all the answer Blake expected based on Yang's reaction, but it made sense. Some people preferred to be near the door, either so they could leave faster or watch other students come and go. With Yang being as popular as she was, maybe she wanted to see if any of her friends happened to come in.

"Oh, I see," was all Blake said. She tried to catch Yang's eyes, but Yang was busy staring into the kitchen as the young man poured something into a bowl and carried it towards them.

"Hungry, Mug?" he asked, setting the bowl on the ground and walking away while the happy pooch ran over to devour dinner. Before returning to the kitchen, the man picked up a remote control from a side table and turned on the television in the living room. The nightly news played softly in the apartment, but it wasn't turned up loud enough to be distracting - it was more for background noise than anything else.

"So, uh, what's going on here?" Yang asked. "He's just hanging out at home?"

With the TV on and his dog eating, their character headed back to the kitchen but paused when he noticed the flashing red light on his answering machine. Pressing one of the buttons, he stood and listened while a voice played through the room.

"Hey, Isaac. So...I'm not really sure how to tell you this...but I've exhausted every lead I can think of. l don't think there's anything else we can do, besides scanning every database on the planet. Sorry bud, but I think that maybe - maybe it's time to give up and just...move on. Anyway, call me if you want..."

A tone sounded at the end of the message and Isaac reached out to silence the machine. Then he stared, and stared, and finally sighed before heading into the kitchen.

"Uh...that didn't sound like good news," Yang commented. Turning around, she watched Isaac pull several boxes out of the cupboards and refrigerator in order to make his own dinner.

"It wasn't."

"But he's not going to give up, is he?" Turning to Blake, Yang grinned. "I can't see you picking a quitter."

"Well…" Thinking about how she wanted to answer, Blake decided that honesty wouldn't impact the story. "No, he doesn't give up."

"Good." Yang nodded to herself while watching Isaac arranging various foods to be combined for dinner. "I could use some good inspiration, you know."

"For what?"

Meeting Blake's eyes, Yang smiled - although, it seemed a bit shier than normal.

"Just for...general life stuff, you know? Not giving up is always a good thing!"

The sentiment seemed true, but much vaguer than Blake might have expected.

"Do you have goals you're trying to reach?" she asked, hoping to draw out some more detail.

"Oh definitely. Some of them are a lot harder than others, you know? Especially when other people are involved."

Learning something and nothing at the same time, Blake left the topic alone for now and watched Mug eating from his bowl. His determination was single-minded while he ate as quickly as possible, grabbing as many pieces of food as he could before minimally chewing and swallowing too soon.

It didn't seem like anything could break him away from his goal of finishing his entire dinner in record time, but suddenly his head lifted from the bowl and his ears perked up. They swiveled in search of whatever he'd just heard, as he turned from his food towards the living room. Leaving his bowl behind, he walked over to the television and looked up at the screen. Tilting his head to one side while listening to the quiet noise coming from it, he whined.

"What is it, Mug?" Isaac said, looking up to see what his dog was doing. Glimpsing the screen, he dropped the knife onto the cutting board and walked over. Eyes trained on the news program, he used the remote to turn up the volume.

"What is it? What does he see?" Yang asked, peering at the screen. "It's just a reporter."

The reporter then extended a microphone towards a young woman with dark brown hair. The moment she started speaking, Mug whined again.

"Oh my god…" Yang breathed out. " _Please_ tell me that's the girl of his dreams."

"Mug…" the man whispered while his dog whined again. "That's her - you found her."

"Yes," Yang said, nodding her head up and down while giving Blake a grin. "That's her - now you've gotta go get her!"

"So the event will go on, rain or shine?" the reporter asked before moving the microphone to the young woman, who nodded as her title appeared on the screen - Duchess of Shauncery.

"Duchess?" Isaac asked himself while the woman replied.

"Yes. The rain was an unexpected surprise, but it lends a unique air to the waterfront - don't you think?"

"Wait - Mug, this is live." As Isaac spoke, he pointed to the word on the top corner of the screen. "And that's down by the water…"

"Is this - is he about to do what I think he's gonna do?" Yang asked, tearing her eyes away from the screen while Blake smiled.

"Are you ready to run again?" she asked in return, the response making Yang beam.

"I'll run with you anywhere."

Dropping the remote on the floor, Isaac grabbed his keys off the counter as he dashed to the door. Yang grabbed Blake's hand as they raced after their character, who was already flying down the stairs and out into the rain without an umbrella.

"This guy is fast!" Yang shouted while they tore down the sidewalk after him, trying not to lose sight of him while he raced ahead.

As their feet hit the pavement in rapid succession, Blake found herself laughing at the situation once again. She hadn't expected to chase Isaac on this path; she'd expected to make her way to the endpoint on her own. Since she had prior knowledge of the chapter, she knew they were headed towards the water and could have made her way at a much more leisurely pace.

Arguably, this way was far more exhilarating. Which...wasn't much of a surprise considering the girl currently holding Blake's hand while they rushed through the rain.

Tires squealed on asphalt when Isaac ran across the street without checking traffic - a car narrowly avoiding him while sliding on the slick ground. Undeterred by the near collision, he sprinted onward without stopping.

"At least we're invincible!" Yang chirped, although she still led them safely behind the stopped vehicle and across the road when there was no traffic.

They arrived at the park next - multiple city blocks dedicated to green spaces that passed in a blur. At the edge of the park was a wide staircase that was at least a hundred steps, leading down to the wharf and dark river beyond.

Isaac was gaining a bit of ground on them - already halfway down the staircase by the time they reached the top - but their destination was now in sight.

"There's the news crew!" Yang pointed out as they breathlessly took the steps down to the waterfront.

The news crew was packing up their equipment, working as fast as possible so they could get out of the downpour. Isaac paid them no heed, racing past and across another street to the wharf. At the end of the wharf was a big white tent - of the variety that was set up for important parties or galas being held outside.

"Guess - that's - where we go!" Yang huffed as they reached the bottom of the staircase and hurried across the street. Blake was so winded at the moment that she only nodded in response, internally grateful that they didn't have much further to go - and that Isaac was slowing down as he approached his ultimate goal.

Despite the rain, a soiree was in full swing underneath the tent. White lights sparkled through the open entrance while music and cheerful voices drifted towards them.

"Thank god…" Yang said when they finally caught up to Isaac, who was walking up to the entrance of the party. "Ok - now I get why you were gonna skip that part - that was a lot of running."

Even though Yang was right - that it had been a lot of running - Blake was actually glad they _hadn't_ done as she'd originally planned. It would have saved them the sprint across the city, but it would have cost them the opportunity to experience what chasing after true love might sometimes entail - in a story of romance, at least.

As Isaac approached the tent, two large men in black suits stepped out to greet him.

"Name, please," one said while the other held up one hand to prevent Isaac from moving any further. From their expressions, they were merely following protocol for protocol's sake - not because they believed this soaking-wet stranger should be allowed into this event.

"I'm not on the list," Isaac replied. "I just need to see someone -"

He took a step forward, but one of the men motioned for him to stop.

"Sir," the other said in a stern voice. "If you're not on the list, we're going to have to ask you to leave."

"I just need to find someone," Isaac repeated, but neither of the bouncers was willing to hear any type of excuse. Sensing that his approach wasn't working, Isaac opened his mouth and shouted, "Amber!" towards no one in particular. Several of the partygoers nearest to the exit turned towards his shout, and then began speaking to each other in hushed voices while wondering who this strange man could be.

"Amber!" he shouted again, desperately searching for a familiar face.

"Alright buddy, time to go," one of the bouncers said before grabbing one of Isaac's arms. The second bouncer grabbed the other and the two of them easily picked Isaac up and moved him away from the party.

"Wait!"

Turning around at the word, the bouncers watched a woman in a dark blue dress rush towards them. A third suited man handed her an umbrella right before she stepped out into the rain, which she opened while walking over.

"Please let him go," she said. The men shared a look before releasing Isaac, but both gave him suspicious glances before heading back to their posts at the door.

"Ohhh yes," Yang said, squeezing Blake's hand and pulling them closer to the impending interaction before finally letting her go.

The woman in the blue dress was the same woman from the news, and when she approached Isaac, he very noticeably swallowed in anticipation. But his eyes never left hers as the rain continued to fall on him. When the young woman reached him, she moved her umbrella to cover them both - not that it mattered much for him, seeing as how he was already drenched from head to toe.

"Isaac…?" she said, staring up at him in disbelief.

"Amber..."

They stood for a moment in silence until she reached up and hugged him with one arm - the other still holding the umbrella to prevent herself from getting wet. Pulling away, she placed one hand tenderly on his cheek.

"They told me you didn't make it."

"They told my mom that, too," he said before shaking his head. "I've been looking everywhere for you," he added, the earnestness in his tone begging her to believe him.

"Miss."

The voice interrupted their reunion, and Amber turned around as a man walked over holding his own umbrella. He stopped a respectable distance away, his expression apologetic for the intrusion.

"They're calling for you now."

Glancing towards the tent filled with people demanding her presence, Amber bit her lip. Everyone was waiting for her, but she'd never expected to see Isaac again and wanted a moment to reconnect.

Ultimately, her sense of responsibility won out.

"Meet me in the park - the gazebo," she told Isaac. "Give me fifteen minutes - maybe twenty."

Surprised, but willing to agree, he nodded his head and she smiled - a big, happy smile.

"Here - take this with you," she added, pressing the umbrella into his hands. "I'll see you soon."

Standing on her tiptoes, she pressed a kiss to his cheek before ducking under the suited man's umbrella and rushing back to the tent.

"What the heck was that?" Yang asked, staring after Amber while Isaac trudged towards the park. "Where was the big kiss or confession or...something?"

"You'll see," Blake said and, before even thinking about it, reached out for Yang's hand. By the time she realized what she was doing, Yang had already accepted the gesture - taking Blake's hand and following their leading man back up the steps to the park above.

"Amber…" Yang commented while they made their way slowly up the staircase. "Like your eyes. Really pretty amber."

The unexpected, and very flattering, compliment made Blake blink in surprise. "Oh, uh...thank you."

"You're just really pretty in general," Yang added, hardly allowing Blake's cheeks to flush before letting out a loud groan. "I need to work out more," she said, using her free hand to rub at her thigh - which was probably burning just as much as Blake's were.

"You look like you're in great shape though."

Blake's blush deepened when Yang shot a happy glance her way, but she didn't back away from the compliment. Yang _did_ look like she was in great shape.

"I didn't realize there'd be so much _running_." Stopping at the top of the staircase, Yang bent over and put a hand on her knee. "And stairs, too!" she added, using their joined hands to gesture towards the steps they'd just conquered.

"Honestly…" Pausing, Blake waited a few seconds for her breathing to slow down before speaking again. "Honestly, I haven't been running around in here."

"You haven't? But then...how do you experience the story?"

The answer was pretty clear — she _hadn't_ been experiencing the stories. At least, not fully. She watched. She observed. She experienced some aspects but left many others unexplored.

Until now.

"I went at my own pace," she explained while they followed Isaac at a leisurely pace. "I took my time because...it was just me. I've never had anyone else to experience this with."

"Well, now you have me."

As soon as the comment slipped out, Yang shook her head.

"l mean, I'm here this time. So now you know what it's like to go running through the rain across an entire city to find the person you love! You _also_ know exactly how painful it is to walk up a giant flight of stairs _after_ running across the city to find the person you love."

"Don't forget all the running into battle we did before this," Blake pointed out with a smile.

 _"_ _Plus_ that!" Thinking about the spurt of activity they'd gone through, Yang shook her head and chuckled. "Not gonna lie, Blake. I think _we're_ the real heroes in this story."

"Try telling that to him."

Blake motioned towards Isaac with her free hand, but Yang looked at her instead and smiled.

"I would tell him! But I don't think he'll listen to me."

Chuckling at the true statement, Blake caught the second smile Yang sent her way as they made it to what must be the center of the park. There was a gazebo up ahead, standing near a pond whose surface was dancing with each droplet of water falling into it. Their main character walked underneath the tall awning, finally out of the rain, and folded up the umbrella before setting it on the ground.

The rain fell steadily on the roof and in torrents from several spouts at the edges of the gazebo, but - despite the ever-present sound of rain and rushing water - it was peaceful in this space. Serene, even. It was the perfect spot for Isaac to collect his thoughts and calm his nerves.

"Jeez. l thought only my sister paced that fast," Yang commented, nodding towards Isaac's rapid walk.

"She paces a lot?"

"She's a total jitterbug! Always moving around or doing something - _fast_ too. It's hard to slow her down or get her to sit still."

Imagining a younger version of Yang who walked and talked twice as fast, Blake shook her head in amusement.

"She sounds...exciting," she replied, smiling when Yang laughed at the diplomatic term.

"She's sweet as could be though, I promise! You should meet her sometime."

The suggestion surprised Blake in a way that was likely unintentional on Yang's part. But this was the first time the two of them had spent more than a few minutes together, and now she was being invited to meet Yang's little sister?

The implication was that they would spend more time together after this adventure ended, which lifted Blake's heart in a flurry of butterflies.

"You want me to meet your sister?" she asked, smiling at the thought of it.

"Yeah! I mean, don't worry - she'll totally love you."

"What makes you say that?" she asked, now curious as to what Yang's reasoning could be.

"Because you're also sweet, and nice, funny and smart…" A blush grew on Blake's cheeks with every compliment, but Yang trailed off and then nodded towards Isaac. "This chick's not gonna stand him up, is she? Cuz I'll go back down there and get her myself. We ran like ten blocks for her!"

Wishing her blush away while she chuckled, Blake looked out across the dark park and spotted two figures walking their way. Seeing as how there was no one else out in this downpour, it had to be the second half of the chapter approaching them.

"You have good timing," she said, relieved that the conversation could move away from the unexpected compliments.

"I mean, I managed to make it into these stories with you, didn't I?"

Pleasantly taken aback by the response, Blake sent Yang a smile before Amber walked under the roof of the gazebo. The smartly-suited man had escorted her this entire way, but remained just outside the gazebo - still standing in the rain underneath his own umbrella - in order to give the two characters some privacy.

As Amber folded up her umbrella and set it on the cement floor of the gazebo, Isaac took several steps towards her - his eyes drinking in her every movement.

"Isaac," she said, a huge smile lighting up her face as she raced over and leaped into his arms for a hug. With her arms wrapped around his neck, Isaac lifted Amber's feet off the ground and swung her in a circle before setting her back down and kissing her on the lips.

" _Yes_. This is what I was looking for," Yang said, bobbing her head in agreement when the two finally broke apart.

"I'm so glad you're ok," Amber said, looking up into Isaac' eyes and brushing a hand through his hair. "l thought I'd never see you again…"

"That wouldn't have happened," he said, shaking his head. "l was going to spend the rest of my life looking for you."

"And now that you've found me?"

Smiling, Isaac scooped Amber into his arms for another kiss.

"I'm never letting you go."

"Aww…" Smiling at the reaction, Blake turned to Yang. "That was super sweet!" Yang added. "Look how much he loves her!"

Blake didn't necessarily want to look away from Yang, but she did anyway. It was very clear how much Isaac cared for Amber - seen in his passionate eyes and the way he held both of her hands tenderly in his own.

"How did you find me?"

"Mug found you!" he answered, neither of them able to dim the smiles they were currently wearing. "He heard you on the news tonight, and I ran to find you as soon as I saw."

The explanation made Amber chuckle while she gestured to Isaac's thoroughly soaked clothing. "Well that explains this…how's Mug doing?" Her smile grew when Isaac laughed at the question.

"He's doing just fine - and he'll be thrilled to see you."

"I can't wait to see him again, too."

Blake smiled at the interaction, which was even more adorable than she'd imagined it to be. Reading words on a page was one thing, but seeing the love in their eyes and hearing the excitement in their voices made their adoration for each other even clearer.

"I'm sorry," Amber suddenly apologized. "I made it impossible for you to find me. Amber is my middle name - I didn't tell you who I really was because…"

"Because I wouldn't have believed you anyway?" he finished for her, laughing and squeezing her hands. "So you're a princess."

"A duchess." She could've told him that she was an alien at that point, and he would still look at her in the same way - with love sparkling in his eyes as they continued to hold hands.

"What's the difference?"

"It's similar, but not quite as...weighty. Lots of responsibilities, regardless."

"I hope this is closer to what you were looking for?" Blake asked, turning away from the happy couple as the conversation carried on - two long-lost lovers content to catch up using simple questions and simple answers. The two would talk about anything at the moment, as long as they could finally be together.

"After the last chapter?" Yang asked before giving a definitive nod. "Yes. This is...fantastic."

Happy with that answer, Blake was about to turn away when Yang shifted her feet. The motion was almost nervous or...hesitant - enough so that Blake's attention didn't move away.

"Yang?" she asked, sensing that there was something else Yang wanted to say.

"I ask for Study Room 8 because it's closest to the front desk," Yang blurted out.

For a moment, the additional comment made no sense. Why would anyone want to sit close to the front desk? It would serve no purpose unless they planned on asking questions every few seconds.

But when Yang gave Blake a shy smile, she suddenly understood what was really being admitted to.

"Oh -"

"Sorry," Yang quickly said. "That makes me sound super creepy -"

"No, it's actually...flattering, in a way?" Blake smiled, trying to ease the concern out of Yang's brow, but internally her heart was pounding at the realization. If Yang was saying what Blake _thought_ she was saying, then that room was chosen...basically for each other.

"And I always ask my friends to let me reserve the room," Yang added, her words tumbling out faster with each sentence. "Because I want the chance to talk to you alone."

This felt like more than an admission. Standing together, under the gazebo, while heavy rain fell all around them, this suddenly felt like...a confession.

"Yang -"

"I knew you were different the first time I saw you," Yang finally said, sending Blake a smile. "I mean, it's pretty easy for me to talk to people, but when I thought about going over to say 'hello' to you...I couldn't even do it. Every time I wanted to, my hands clammed up, my heart raced, and I'd chicken out."

Shocked might be a good word for how Blake was currently feeling. Astonished. Amazed. _Overjoyed_. All this time, she thought she was harboring a one-sided crush, but apparently...

"I tried to be upfront about it," Yang continued. "I wanted to ask you out or something, but…" Chuckling, she shook her head. "But I kept dragging my friends to the library instead."

"l...thought they were in a study group with you."

Blake immediately kicked herself for the response, which had nothing to do with what she truly wanted to say. Fortunately, Yang laughed again.

"No, I just make them come with me so I can talk to you. I didn't want to show up alone because that'd be weird." Thinking about the statement, Yang scoffed to herself. "Because _that_ would be weird…"

"It's not weird - it's…"

Blake's words trailed off as Yang looked at her expectantly. If there was ever a time to be forthcoming, it was now - Yang deserved at least that much for being so honest.

"I really love Wednesdays," Blake admitted, her cheeks growing warmer when she thought about what she was going to say next. "Because...I look forward to talking to you, even if it's only for a little while."

She was prepared to provide more elaboration than that, but she didn't have to. The smile that lit Yang's expression reflected in her eyes - which were happier than Blake had ever seen them before.

"It's hard to believe we were in the library just a little bit ago," Yang said, reaching out for Blake's hand. Blake watched Yang pick up her hand, and smiled when their fingers intertwined.

"l know. It feels like…"

"A lot has changed since then."

Yang completed the thought running through Blake's mind and smiled while Blake did the same. A lot _had_ changed - from their inability to communicate in the library, to Yang being utterly shocked by a dragon, to now - the two of them comfortably holding hands and finally able to express a portion of their feelings to each other.

Glancing towards the other couple sharing the gazebo with them, Yang sighed in content when Amber and Isaac disappeared.

"This one was awesome. _Almost_ wiped away the heartbreak from the last one."

"You like happy endings?" Blake asked, glancing at their interlaced fingers and smiling.

"I'm _such_ a sucker for happy endings." Swinging their joined hands, Yang sent Blake a grin. "I'm hoping you have one lined up for me?"

For a moment, Blake didn't know how to respond - because she didn't know if Yang was speaking about the chapters or for herself, personally. What would Yang consider to be a happy ending for herself? Could Blake possibly be part of that picture?

Deciding that Yang was most likely referring to the chapters, Blake unsuccessfully hid a grin and Yang immediately laughed.

"I know, I know - 'I'll see,'" she said before Blake could say the words herself.

The sound of the rain stopped completely - the silence seeming almost louder than the downpour had been. The pond and gazebo blurred, and their last stop on this adventure began to materialize around them.


	8. Chapter 7 - First Kiss

**We're almost there! Just one more chapter and then Bumblebee Week will be over. Thank you to everyone for going on this journey with me!**

* * *

The environment solidified around them, but the first thing Blake noticed about this new chapter was that she and Yang were still holding hands - their fingers still intertwined, with Yang seeming to have no intention of changing that anytime soon. Rather, she was looking around while tall walls replaced the gazebo, and they found themselves standing in the massive entryway of what appeared to be an exquisitely decorated palace.

The ceilings must be three stories above their head and were painted with classical images of royalty. There was a wide staircase to their right, covered in a thick red carpet and splitting off in two directions towards the upper levels. The white marble floor gleamed with fresh polish. The gold trim adorning majestic marble columns shimmered under the light of a strikingly-beautiful chandelier hanging above their heads.

On any other day, the palace itself would be the most remarkable sight to behold, but today it was the people stealing much of the attention.

The palace staff was rushing in all directions, coming and going and speaking excitedly amongst themselves as they went. Some were cleaning, some were carrying vases of flowers or platters piled with food, and some were just rushing - as if they didn't know precisely what to do, but knew they needed to do _something_.

Turning in a slow circle, Yang's eyes drank in as many details as possible before her gaze landed on Blake.

"What's going on?" she asked, her eyes flitting to the side as a maid rushed past them.

"They're preparing for a celebration."

While Blake spoke, she nodded towards two butlers hurrying towards the front doors. These particular doors towered over any man, made of solid wood and appearing exceptionally heavy by the way one of the men tugged heartily in order to pull it open.

The sound of cheers and many, many voices burst through as soon as the door was opened an inch. Curious about the noise, Yang stepped closer to Blake and looked through the doorway while the butlers rushed outside and disappeared from view.

The palace grounds were filled with people. Everyone was laughing, cheering, talking - a celebration already underway while they waited for the main event.

"I knew you liked to party," Yang joked, nodding outside with a grin.

"Probably a different kind of party than you're used to."

"Eh…" Yang shrugged and turned back to Blake after a third butler shoved the door shut and cut the crowds from view. "To be honest, I'm having a much better time here with you than I've had at any party."

Between Yang's words, her prior admission, and the way she was looking at Blake right now, Blake felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment and happiness. She had no idea why Yang might like her, but over the course of these chapters, they'd grown impossibly close - close enough that the discomfort she'd once felt had almost completely disappeared. Not only was it easy to spend time with Yang, but it was also enjoyable - it was something she _wanted_ to do. And it seemed borderline miraculous that Yang felt the same.

"I'm glad you're having a good time here, with me," Blake replied in a soft whisper as her cheeks grew hotter. There was a chance the words would be swallowed up in the hustle and bustle surrounding them, but Yang heard them clearly - and smiled so brightly Blake wouldn't dare look away.

"Do you think it's weird that I'm enjoying this so much?" Yang asked, taking a step closer and making Blake's heart pound in anticipation. At this minimal distance, Blake had to tilt her head up to meet Yang's eyes...

"No," she answered, never turning away from Yang's gaze. "I felt the same way the first time. And every time since then..."

When Yang laughed, Blake smiled and soaked in the feeling of warmth emanating from the person in front of her.

"Totally wish I could've seen that," Yang admitted, her eyes sparkling joyfully at the idea. And, when another thought popped into her head, her smile grew. "You know, it feels like we've known each other a really long time."

"It does," Blake replied, agreeing with the statement wholeheartedly.

Though they started this journey as acquaintances, at best, the experiences they shared had broken down the walls of unfamiliarity. They might not know everything about each other just yet, but she was confident that was a trivial barrier that could be lowered over time. If she had questions, all she had to do was ask - and she _could_ ask, she was sure of that now.

Reaching out, Yang gently pushed a strand of hair out of Blake's eyes, making her unwittingly shiver when fingertips lightly grazed her temple.

"You're really pretty, you know?"

Whether or not Blake believed that statement, it was impossible to disagree with Yang's eyes right now. They were filled with certainty and determination, along with a great deal of anticipation and a dash of nerves mixed in.

When Yang took a half step closer, the two of them now close enough that Blake could feel warm breaths brushing across her cheek, she was positive her eyes reflected the same expectation and nerves - especially when Yang smiled and leaned closer.

"Hello, Sir -"

"Good morning, Sir -"

The sudden chorus of respectful greetings caused Yang's eyes to drift, and that moment - whatever it had been - faded away. Released from the magic of lilac eyes, Blake turned around and found a tall, well-dressed man making his way through the slew of workers buzzing about the palace floor. His pants were smartly creased at the sides; his jacket was neatly pressed and adorned with an array of colors symbolizing various titles. Every person he passed paused to greet him and dipped their heads in respect before hurrying on to their next task.

He gave each person a nod in return, but never faltered in his path towards the staircase that would lead him to the second level of the palace. There was a clear limp in his gait that implied a recent injury not yet fully healed, but the pain seemed to bother him little. If anything, it was nothing but a minor hindrance preventing him from reaching his destination as fast as possible.

"Now _that's_ our character," Yang said before looking to Blake for confirmation. "Right?"

"You're getting pretty good at this," Blake replied with a nod. When Yang laughed, Blake smiled - still silently thrilled that Yang was having so much fun figuring out the course of these chapters.

The next second, Blake's heart jumped in surprise when - without an ounce of hesitation - Yang slid her hand down to Blake's and led them after the man.

"Alexander!"

They'd almost made it to the staircase when the voice cut above the noise of the palace and stopped the man in his tracks - which stopped Yang, and therefore Blake as well. Sighing at the sound of his name, the man threw on a smile while turning towards the sharply-dressed man navigating through the workers to catch up with him.

"Yes, Everett?"

"Where are you going?" Everett demanded, stalking right up to Alexander with purpose earned through years of service.

"I'm going upstairs to get ready. You'd prefer me to be early than late, wouldn't you?"

With a pleasant smile, Alexander knew that the question trapped the over-organized head-of-state in a philosophical quagmire. Of course, Everett wasn't naive enough to fall for Alexander's thought-out explanation - not anymore, at least.

But before a response (or an order) could be issued, a third man ran up to them - although he was less of a man and more of boy. Out of breath from whatever distance he'd just crossed, he slouched over as he delivered his news.

"Sir! There's a bit of a problem - with the salute."

The words caught Everett's full attention.

"What do you mean, a problem with the salute?" he snapped. "What problem could there _possibly_ be with a salute?"

When the younger boy simply shrugged - the answers to those questions clearly out of his scope of responsibilities - Everett sighed and shot a stern look at Alexander. "I'll see you upstairs," he said before rushing off with the messenger to solve this latest problem.

As soon as the pair disappeared from the room, Alexander smiled to himself. One problem out of the way, he continued on his original path leading upstairs.

"Ohhh he totally planned that, didn't he?" Yang remarked, practically bouncing up the royal red steps to the second floor. "Look at him - he's all smug about it too!"

"He's trying to do something he's not supposed to," Blake explained while they followed Alexander up the stairs. Like all of the other palace workers, he knew exactly where he was going - up the stairs, to the left, and to the left again. The directions led them towards the front of the building on the second story, while still walking on clean marble that reflected light from the decorative sconces placed every few feet.

"Lemme guess - that Everett guy is always making him follow the rules?"

"Or trying to," Blake replied as they trailed their character at his slow gait down the hall. Turning to the side, she looked at Yang - whose perfect waves of golden hair and bright smile seemed to fit in these halls. "You know, this place suits you."

"You mean it suits _us_ ," Yang replied, sending that blinding smile Blake's way - along with a good dose of sincerity. "I'd like to think we deserve it after what we've been through," she added, playfully nudging Blake's shoulder when they slowed to a stop at the end of the hall. Feeling Yang's fingers intertwined with her own, Blake gave them a short squeeze - at the same time strangely comfortable with the gesture while wondering if her heart would ever stop beating so quickly when they held hands.

Alexander made it to the very last room on the right-hand side of the hall, which would be easy to find due to the two guards stationed outside - one standing at attention on either side of the door.

"Test number two," Blake commented, watching Alexander walk right up to the door. As expected, both guards immediately stepped forward to prevent him from moving any closer.

"Sorry, Sir. We were given strict orders not to let you pass."

Another sigh slipped out while Alexander surveyed the two men standing between him and the mission he was determined to see through to the very end.

"He really put you up to this?" he asked, likely referring to the hard-nosed steward he thought he'd distracted downstairs.

"It's tradition -"

"Screw tradition," Alexander interrupted, for the first time sounding moderately annoyed at being kept from his goal. Sighing again when he heard the tone of voice, he shook his head and found a small smile.

"Today's supposed to be a celebration," he said, his warm brown eyes imploring them to understand. "I haven't seen her in two days, and I'd just like to talk to her before we're bound for eternity. Is that really too much to ask?"

The two guards shared a look while they debated his words, their resolve clearly weakening.

"Besides - Everett might be upset, but I can assure you that _she'll_ be plenty happy." Gesturing towards the door, Alexander grinned. "And who would you rather make happy today - that old stick-in-the-mud or your new queen?"

The appeal to reason worked, as the two men shared another long look before glancing down the hall in every direction to see if anyone else was around. Finding the hallways currently empty of witnesses (besides Blake and Yang, of course), they finally stepped out of the way and turned their backs so they couldn't see the door. Smiling in success, Alexander opened it and slipped through.

"I need to take some smooth-talking lessons from this dude," Yang said, quickly following Alexander into a room that was just as opulent as the foyer downstairs. The furniture was traced in gold, there was another chandelier hanging from the ceiling - a smaller version of the one downstairs - and every wall from floor-to-ceiling sparkled majestically.

But, unlike the frenetic activity being carried out elsewhere in the palace, this room was quiet, still, and empty - save for a woman sitting at the large window overlooking the palace grounds. She was dressed all in white - an exquisite white gown that sparkled with rows and rows of tiny diamonds. Her dark brown hair was pinned up in a refined bun - on which a tiara sat, adding more diamonds and more sparkles to her already glowing persona.

Upon seeing her guest, she stood and rushed over to give him a big hug - one that he returned willingly, embracing her warmly.

"You made it," she said, the words coming out like a sigh of relief. When she stepped away, she held onto both of his hands, content to maintain their constant connection.

"Of course I did. I promised you, didn't I?"

"But the guards -"

"Were hardly any trouble," he finished, squeezing both of her hands while looking at her dress. "Cecilia…" he breathed out, meeting her eyes and smiling. "You look beautiful."

"Me?" she asked in return, placing one hand on her collar before shaking her head. "What about you?"

"Well, I _know_ I'm beautiful. Wouldn't have caught your eye otherwise."

The grin he wore only grew when she laughed at his joke.

"That's true," she agreed. "I _am_ incredibly vain, you know."

"You're anything but," he replied, pulling her close and leaning down to kiss her on the lips. The kiss was chaste and sweet, but when they pulled apart she sighed happily and leaned into his chest.

"Can you believe we made it through everything in one piece?"

"Almost in one piece," he added, reaching down and patting his leg.

Glancing to the side, Blake found that Yang was watching the interaction with a silly smile on her lips - clearly delighted by the conversation. Her expression made Blake inexplicably happy because...without knowing it, she'd managed to find another chapter that Yang really enjoyed. And this was their happy ending - just like Yang wished for.

"Your parents would be really proud," Alexander said, but the comment earned him an amused look.

"What about your parents?" Cecilia countered with a partial grin, reaching up to straighten his collar. "I'm sure they never expected their ornery son to become a hero."

"l never expected that either," he answered. "But then I met you."

"Oh bull," she immediately replied, sounding not at all princess-like while she playfully shoved his shoulder. "You were every bit a hero when I met you."

"Are you sure about that?"

Reaching out, Alexander tickled Cecilia's sides, grinning all the while as she laughed and tried to escape his grasp.

"God, they're so cute," Yang said, turning to Blake and smiling. "I could listen to them tease each other forever."

"Should I leave you here then?" Blake asked, playfully motioning towards the door and taking a step in that direction. She was stopped by their still-joined hands, as Yang gently tugged her close again.

"Don't you dare - this wouldn't be half as enjoyable without you."

The comment made Blake blush, especially as she felt Yang's warmth seeping into her side and shoulder - the two of them standing so close that it wouldn't be much of a leap for Yang to wrap her arms around Blake right now.

It was unbelievable that Blake thought it could actually happen, too - that they were _that_ close now, and that there was a small voice in her head willing Yang to do it.

"I do wonder what the world has in store for us next," Cecilia asked, looking up into Alexander's eyes with unconcealed hesitation.

"Whatever it is, we'll conquer it together," he assured her.

A double-knock landed on the door then, drawing their attention away from each other. No one entered the room, but the signal was enough to let them know that it was time to leave this sanctuary behind. It was time for them to get back to the rest of the story - and the rest of their lives.

Looking away from the door, Alexander smiled once again.

"Are you ready?" he asked, extending one hand to the girl of his dreams, the love of his life, and his soon-to-be wife. After looking at his hand for a second, she smiled up at him as she took it.

"I'm ready if you are."

Hand-in-hand, the two of them walked towards their happy ending.

"By the way," Alexander commented before opening the door. "There are two guards outside who are probably deserving of a promotion."

Laughing at the comment, Cecilia shook her head, smiling all the while as he opened the door and bowed her through first.

"We aren't even married yet and you're already handing out promotions?"

"Anything for the opportunity to see you a few minutes sooner."

On the other side of the door, the two guards bowed as Cecilia walked out. Pausing for a moment, she dipped her head to them in return.

"l greatly appreciate your use of discretion," she said with a smile. "It may not be tradition...but it might be time for some changes around here."

With that said, she smiled again and continued away from the room - her head held high even though her stomach was still filled with butterflies.

"Yang," Blake said, pulling them out of the room and trailing the regal couple towards a gathering of people directly ahead. Turning to her right, she smiled at Yang's slightly confused, yet expectant expression.

"Are you ready?" Blake asked, her own excitement building at the impending end of this story. Even unknowing what was coming next, Yang responded with a bright smile.

"You know it."

The answer lifted Blake's heart as the two of them stopped near the group of people standing in front of a large pair of double doors in what was the center of the building. Several high-ranking palace staff and guards stood at attention while the princess and her hero joined them. Their hands were still linked - the two of them ready and willing to face this next chapter of their lives together.

A prominent member of this group was the man who'd tried and failed to stall Alexander downstairs - and, as Everett watched the two of them approach together, he looked very much like he was sucking on a lemon.

"Everett, do drop the sour look," Cecilia said teasingly. Her words lacked any form of command, but Everett immediately complied.

"My apologies, Your Highness," he replied with a bow. "l shouldn't be surprised that you want to do this your way - you've insisted upon breaking with tradition ever since you were a little girl."

"And you've been there to make sure I knew which traditions needed to stay," she replied, reaching out and pulling him into a loving hug that he returned. For a brief moment, he lowered his constant professionalism and smiled before letting her go and resuming his rigid posture.

"Now then," he said, straightening his jacket as if that gesture had meant nothing to him. But when he turned back to Cecilia, it was with caring eyes. "Are you ready?"

Before answering the question Cecilia looked up at Alexander, who smiled down at her. Taking Alexander's hand once more, Cecilia turned to Everett and nodded.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

At some invisible cue, two of the palace staff reached out and took hold of the polished brass door handles in front of them. In practiced unison, the double doors were pulled open at the exact same moment, and sunlight streamed into the hallway as the sound of cheers filled their ears.

There was a large, white balcony outside that overlooked the palace grounds and, further in the distance, the sprawling city leading down to a shimmering bay. Today, the view was of a sea of people filling the courtyards and beyond, stretching nearly as far as the eye could see.

Taking one last look to her right, Cecilia smiled up at her companion before the two of them stepped out onto the wide balcony together.

"Come on," Blake whispered, pulling Yang through the doors right after the couple - just in time to catch the crowd erupting into applause upon seeing their new rulers approach the railing. When the princess raised her free hand and waved, the cheers grew louder. Whistles punctuated the sound as a series of horns sounded from somewhere nearby - the perfect salute to the young woman on her impending wedding.

The energy was infectious. The celebration reached deep inside and lifted Blake's heart on a swell of joyful emotions - because here, from atop the balcony, it was almost believable that the crowd was cheering for her...for her and Yang. It was as if, by completing these seven chapters together, they were being congratulated in their own way. For their ability to overcome their initial fear of the unknown and learn to embrace the opportunities they were given, and for learning a thing or two along the way about what it meant to be bold and willing to fight for something or someone they believed in.

Leaving the crowd behind, Blake turned her full attention to Yang - being much more interested in Yang's reaction than in soaking in the feeling of victory. And Yang's eyes were currently sweeping across the overjoyed masses, moving back and forth while her mouth hung open in either surprise or amazement or both.

"After this, they'll go to the chapel -" Blake explained, nodding towards the beautiful white building nestled amongst the city streets across the way. "That's where they'll be married."

The book never described the details of the actual ceremony, opting instead to inform the reader of the impending nuptials but end the story at this moment - where the main characters were lifted up by the very people they'd sacrificed so much for. But to anyone standing here, feeling this moment, it was very clearly a 'happily ever after.' There was no other way to describe the crescendo of emotions other than joy and relief bubbling over.

Even though Blake hadn't participated in their war, she could partake in their triumph. At this moment, it felt as genuine and real as any victory she'd known - and she was extremely grateful that she wasn't experiencing it alone.

Eventually, Yang turned to Blake with that shocked expression still in place.

"Blake...this is incredible."

Smiling at the perfect summation, Blake squeezed Yang's hand as her heart did a happy somersault in her chest.

"It is," she agreed, allowing the jubilation to sweep through her as the cheers of the crowd suddenly multiplied - a surprised fervor filling the air. Turning to the side, she smiled when she saw that Alexander was pressing a loving kiss to Cecilia's lips - another tradition broken in front of thousands of onlookers, and a clear statement that change was on the horizon. But after the past few years of turmoil, change was probably for the better.

"He's not supposed to do that either," Blake said with a light laugh. When she turned back to Yang, she found eyes filled with marvel.

"This is incredible," Yang repeated, looking out over the crowds. "This entire thing...being here with you...it's incredible."

While Yang stared at the people in wonder, Blake watched with a smile.

The way Yang appreciated these adventures made it immensely rewarding to share them with her. Not only did she appreciate them, but she _experienced_ them in ways Blake had never even considered before.

"Can I do this with you again?" Yang suddenly asked, turning away from the balcony as the main characters shared another kiss and sent even more fervor through the crowds. Ignoring them, Yang picked up Blake's other hand and pulled her close, staring down into her eyes all the while. "Can we do this again?"

Before today, if Blake had been forced to choose one person to share this secret with, it probably wouldn't have been Yang. But, after sharing this adventure together, she doubted anyone else would have been as enjoyable to spend this time with. She doubted anyone else could have made what was already a wonderful experience...even more wonderful.

"Absolutely," she replied, smiling as she nodded. "I'd love to."

The positive answer made Yang grin, and Blake's heart did a double beat while the two of them shared in that feeling of elation and...intimacy. The longer they stood there, so close together, a bubble of yearning grew in Blake's chest - a feeling that boiled over when Yang leaned forward.

The cue was silent, yet Blake felt it all the same - and she met Yang's lips halfway for a kiss.

The horns sounded again, three long salutes to the triumphant prince and princess, and the crowd cheered in jubilation when the wedding procession finally began. But Blake's happiness was no longer stemming from them - it was coming from Yang, whose lips were soft and warm as they pressed against her own, expressing a rush of emotions to Blake through action rather than words. A hand appeared on her lower back, pulling her closer as she reached up and wove one hand through Yang's hair.

Admittedly, Blake had daydreamed about what it would be like to kiss Yang. Experiencing it in real life...was far better than she'd ever imagined, as her heart pounded in her chest and her skin tingled with excitement.

When they finally broke apart, with Yang's hands still resting on Blake's hips and Blake's hand falling to Yang's shoulder, they laughed - both of them probably feeling equally surprised at how unexpected and amazing that had just been.

"I, uh…" Yang started to say before another delighted laugh slipped out. "I'm sorry, I just - god, I've wanted to do that forever."

The comment caught Blake off guard, as did the way Yang reached up and twirled a lock of Blake's hair around one finger.

"You have?"

"Yeah. Basically since...since that macro econ class our first year."

Shocked by the revelation, Blake briefly glanced to the side - as their main characters shared one last, long kiss - before looking back into Yang's eyes.

"Then I hope...it was ok?" she asked, suddenly more embarrassed at what they'd just done. At least, she _would_ have felt embarrassed had it not been for Yang's beaming smile and reassuring lilac eyes.

"That was _way_ more than ok…"

At that moment, the characters in the story disappeared and, with them, the sound of the crowd as well. Left alone on the balcony, Yang looked around the suddenly quiet space and then took Blake's hands in her own, intertwining their fingers together.

"Would it be lame if I wanted to kiss you again?" she asked, staring at their joined hands before finally meeting Blake's eyes.

"No." With a slight shake of her head, Blake stepped closer. Her heart was pounding again - even louder this time because she knew to expect what was to come. "That wouldn't be lame at all."

"Then...can I kiss you again?"

What reason could Blake possibly have to say 'no' to that question? This wasn't supposed to happen, because they'd fallen into this adventure together by mistake? They'd hardly spoken before this secret had been revealed? They belonged in different social circles, had different friends, or any of the other excuses Blake had used to explain her lack of courage in trying to forge a relationship?

None of those reasons actually mattered, which was why her heart had already made a decision.

"Yes," she answered, her breath catching when Yang smiled.

The environment began to blur, but neither of them was paying attention to it any longer. When Yang leaned forward, Blake tilted her head up to accept the kiss. When her eyes fluttered shut and excitement buzzed through her veins, it ceased to matter if they were standing outside of a royal palace, on a war-torn battlefield, or out in the middle of a snowy field - as long as Yang was here with her.

She couldn't say she'd ever thought about what it might be like to kiss someone in the midst of a romance...but it was absolutely incredible.


	9. Chapter 8 - Free Day

**Hey everyone, thanks for going on this journey with me! For those of you who've asked, the stories (other than Beauty and the Beast) were all my creations, so there isn't a list of books I can give you to read. Maybe one day I'll write them myself!**

 **For those of you who are also interested in White Rose, you can follow the White Rose Week tumblr ( White-Rose-Week). That's coming up in June, and I'll have another story for you at that time.**

* * *

The moment the last chapter ended, Blake found herself precisely where she'd been before the adventure began - with one hand touching the title of the first book while Yang was doing the same. The bookshelves, the study rooms, the quiet conversations - the library appeared in full in a single moment, eschewing the gentle phase-in they'd grown accustomed to.

The bookmarks had run their course; the chapters were over, and Blake and Yang landed back in the real world just as abruptly as they'd left it. But, even though time hadn't progressed, Blake could already feel that things were different.

Briefly confused by the change in scenery which, when compared to the smooth transition between chapters, was somewhat jarring, Yang looked around the library while trying to gather her bearings. Once she ascertained that they were, in fact, back in the campus library, she turned to Blake with a big smile.

"That was incredible," she said again, removing her hand from the book and running it through her hair. "Like really, really incredible."

Blake would have guessed as much from Yang's prior comments, but hearing the words again never hurt. Actually, she really enjoyed hearing how much Yang loved the experience of diving into the pages of a story - it was just another thing they had in common.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Blake said, smiling up at Yang.

" _More_ than enjoyed it - I freaking loved it," Yang replied before suddenly looking a little embarrassed. "Especially...especially that last chapter…" she added with a shy grin.

Blushing at the memory of the kiss they'd been sharing moments ago in an entirely different realm, Blake managed to glance away for only a second before her mind compelled her to meet Yang's eyes once more.

"That was my favorite, too," she admitted, and she was instantly rewarded for her honesty with a big, happy smile that made her heart thump loudly in her chest.

Sometimes it was strange to think that this was 'real' life while the stories they'd just lived through were not. Compared to the magnificent palace they'd just experienced, the library seemed almost too...mundane...to be 'real' life. Where was the excitement? The adventure? The frenzy of emotions? None of that seemed to exist in this place, where quiet students studied for upcoming exams or worked on research papers.

Except that wasn't quite true.

When Blake looked at Yang, a shiver of thrill raced down her spine. It was similar to how she always felt when Yang came to the library on Wednesday nights, but this time even more thrilling than normal - because she didn't know what was going to happen next. She didn't know what Yang might say or do or _want_ to do - all she knew was that she wanted to be around to witness whatever that next event might be.

It hardly seemed to matter what was real or not anymore. Regardless of whether they were in a story or not, they'd experienced something together, and created memories together, and spent time together. All of those moments, despite occurring in a 'fake' world, had created a connection that made it back with them. Blake felt it in the beating of her heart, fluttering in wild anticipation - and saw it in Yang's eyes, sparkling in enjoyment of their continued company.

"So we literally didn't move that entire time," Yang commented while stretching her back. "You'd think I'd be stiffer."

Blake chuckled, now finding it rather unbelievable that they'd once struggled so mightily to hold a conversation. Why had it been so difficult? There were so many things they could talk about - at least, now that the initial barrier had been knocked down.

"It's not a great way to pass the time," Blake replied with a smile that grew bigger when Yang laughed at the joke.

"I don't mind at all. Means I have more time to spend with you here."

Flattered by the response, Blake was about to reply with some type of agreement when another thought suddenly sprang into Yang's mind.

"Hey," she said, looking to her left and right before lowering her voice to just above a whisper. "How do you know you're not still in a book?"

Before Blake could even _begin_ thinking about the implications of that comment, Yang laughed and shook her head. "But why would anyone write a book about college? How boring."

"Not as boring as you might think," Blake replied, gesturing towards the stack of books still sitting on the desk between them. Taking one look at them, Yang laughed again.

"Well, can't argue with you there…" she said before another idea popped into her mind. "Oh, so…" Ducking her head, she lowered her voice again. "So...if we've only kissed in the book…" Coughing once into her hand, she threw on a grin while a soft blush visibly reddened her cheeks. "Does that mean...that we haven't in real life?"

After blinking once in surprise, Blake felt her own cheeks flush - because there was only one reason why Yang would ask that specific question, and why she would ask it with a blush.

"That depends…" Blake replied.

"On what?"

"On what you want to believe," she said, carrying on to a full explanation when confusion registered on Yang's face. "Technically, the books aren't real worlds," she continued. "But we're real people, so...ultimately, I think that decision is up to you."

Pursing her lips, Yang thought about the quandary for a few seconds before grinning - and Blake immediately knew what the answer was going to be.

"I think it _doesn't_ count if it happens in the story," Yang said, quite proud of her clever ploy. "In this instance, at least."

The added-on comment made Blake laugh and shake her head in amusement.

"Leaving yourself margin for error, I see."

"Hey, never know what might happen in the future! Gotta keep my options open."

"Uh huh…"

The comment had been lighthearted and playful, but Blake's thoughts buzzed at the mention of 'the future.' Their future used to exist from Wednesday evening to Wednesday evening, but now...even though she didn't know what to expect, but she was excited for whatever their future may hold.

Placing both hands down on the desk and stepping closer, Yang smiled - a smile that grew in confidence the deeper Blake blushed in expectation.

"So…" Yang began, tracing circles on the desk with one finger. "That means I haven't kissed you before…"

"That's too bad..." Blake replied, fixing her gaze on Yang's twinkling eyes. "Seems like that would be...pretty incredible."

Whatever intention Yang had of playing it cool immediately disappeared after the comment.

"Do you really think so?" she asked, her eyes excited and hopeful that Blake would repeat what she just said. Which she did - adding in a nod for additional assurance.

"Yes. Pretty incredible would be one way to describe it."

The admission made Yang grin from ear-to-ear while she nodded enthusiastically.

"You're totally amazing at it, too," she said, succeeding in making Blake blush before quickly carrying on. "I mean, uh, it _seems like_ you'd be amazing too."

When her attempt to cover up the admission failed, Yang laughed and shook her head. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that, since we _haven't_ done that yet...I'd kind of...really, _really_ like to right now."

Just like on the palace balcony, Blake's heart flipped and cartwheeled in her chest at the words. It was one thing for a kiss to happen spontaneously - like it had when they were swept up in the jubilation of the chapter - but it was another thing entirely when Yang made her intentions and desires so...clear.

Blake wasn't sure which way she liked better, as both were enough to take her breath away. Right now, all she knew was that she absolutely loved that Yang was willing to speak her mind so transparently.

"In the library?" she teased, regardless. "What a spot for a first kiss."

"Considering the girl, I'd say it's pretty perfect."

Yang grinned at the superb response and Blake's heart thumped loudly in her chest - almost physically able to feel a moment of intimacy on the horizon. And when Yang leaned over the desk, Blake met her halfway - willingly accepting the kiss in the middle of the library.

This one was short and sweet, but lingered long enough that Blake's skin tingled in rampant anticipation of the next. But Yang pulled away instead of continuing into a second, third, or fourth kiss - grinning like she just accomplished something extraordinary.

Blake was going to tease Yang about the look before happening to glance over her shoulder and see the expressions of pure shock on the faces of her friends - who'd been observing their interaction through the glass walls of Study Room 8.

"Oh."

Realizing what they'd just done in front of a crowd, Blake blushed and backed away - as if distance would somehow erase the very public display of affection she'd gladly participated in. Blake's sudden retreat caused Yang to look over her shoulder and laugh when she was met by equivalent looks of jaw-dropped surprise.

"They bet I couldn't get your number," she explained, turning back to Blake with a grin. "Showed them!"

While her embarrassment faded away, Blake found another response within seconds - replies growing easier and easier to find.

"Well…" she said, trying to hide a smirk at what she was about to point out. "Technically, you _don't_ have my number..."

As soon as the words sunk in, Yang's smile dropped and her eyes widened in realization.

"Uh, well, can I have your number?" she asked. "l mean, I did just battle dragons with you, and survive the next ice age, and win a war, so…I mean, hopefully that's enough?"

Smiling at the exaggeration, Blake picked up a red pen and wrote her number on the closest piece of paper she could find before handing it to Yang.

"Then you've earned this for your bravery," she replied, internally rejoicing when Yang turned the paper around and smiled at the digits written there. Yang then carefully put the paper in her front pocket before gesturing towards the books.

"You know who's brave though - that Bree girl."

Of all the characters, Blake would've guessed that Yang would like Bree the most - a powerful, fiercely protective fighter who was willing to do anything for the ones she loved. From that comment, it looked like Blake was right.

"She really was," she agreed, but Yang's smile evaporated at the response.

"Wait... _'was'_? Do you mean that like 'in the story she was,' or like 'she was before she died?'"

Doing her best not to laugh at the unintended confusion, Blake casually shrugged and said, "You'll have to find out..."

"Ok, can I borrow these?" While Yang asked the question, she reached towards the stack of books - but this time Blake lunged forward and snatched them away just in time.

"You have a thing for touching things that aren't yours, don't you?" she asked, amused at what had very nearly happened for a second time in a matter of minutes - only this time with Yang going through the chapters on her own.

Unperturbed, Yang returned Blake's smile with a proud grin.

"Sometimes it gets me in trouble. In this case, I think it was just about the best decision I ever made."

Feeling her cheeks warm under Yang's cheerful gaze, Blake looked down at the books while waiting for yet another blush to fade. Picking up each book in turn - careful not to touch any of the titles - she removed the bookmarks and stacked them in order, one through seven. Once that was done, she placed the bookmarks back in their case and pushed the stack of books over to Yang.

" _Now_ you can take them."

"I've never been more excited to get a pile of books," Yang remarked, pulling all seven towards her before tapping the top one. "Do I need to check them out or anything?"

Ordinarily, that's precisely what was supposed to happen, but Blake could just mark the books out under her own account to save Yang the hassle.

"No, I'll do that for you."

"Ah, so there are perks to dat-" Yang's sentence abruptly stopped and she shook her head, suddenly looking very much like she wished she'd never opened her mouth at all. "But thanks," she added before Blake could pry into the matter. "I can't wait to see all these stories play out - like does Violet ever get to ride her pet dragon? Oh! Wanna hear my predictions?"

Curious as to how this would turn out, Blake motioned for Yang to give it a try.

"Ok, so Violet and Rusty - best friends forever, of course." Briefly pausing, Yang watched Blake intently - looking for any hint of an answer. When Blake only chuckled and refused to give a clue, Yang grinned and went on. "Then Demetri - he gets over his anger and abandonment issues by putting that sword to good use. I dunno _how_ , really, but I hope he becomes the reluctant-hero type."

Nodding along, Blake tried really hard not to give anything away in her expression. Even if Yang was right, or close, Blake still wanted her to read the actual stories and see for herself.

"Grace and Micah fall in love," Yang carried on, marking the chapters off on her fingers as she went. "Beauty and the Beast fall in love, of course. Bree _lives_ and then lives happily ever after with her wolf-man. Ditto for Isaac and Amber, but Isaac becomes a prince. And the last chapter...well, those two were already cute as could be."

Making it through the list, Yang gave Blake an expectant look - as if she might provide all the answers right at that moment.

"You'll see," Blake said instead, using the phrase one last time just for the fun of it and smiling when Yang laughed.

"'I'll see,' alright," Yang replied while picking up the entire stack of books and holding them in her arms. "I'm gonna read all of these and then we can discuss _every_ last detail."

Yang grinned as if it was a playful joke, but the idea sounded like a dream come true to Blake. Having someone to discuss all these stories with? Someone who was invested in the characters and cared about the outcomes like she did?

"That...sounds really nice."

'Really nice' was a very muted way to describe how amazing that sounded, but she didn't want to dive into the depths of how much that would mean to her - at least, not at the moment. If Yang really wanted to do that though, that might just make her...pretty perfect.

"Deal," Yang said with a nod. "I've never been that good at book reports, but I'm gonna memorize these suckers for you."

After flashing a big grin at the proclamation, Yang shifted the books in her arms and looked a bit more hesitant.

"But, uh…" she began, briefly glancing towards the desk before meeting Blake's eyes. "I know we just spent like...an entire day together, it feels like...but I have a whole shelf of books at home that I've never read. Maybe when you're done working, you can come over and try them out with me? I mean, only if you want to."

Not too long ago, that invitation would have absolutely floored Blake - mostly because the two of them hardly spoke enough to be considered more than acquaintances, let alone the type of people who went over to each other's homes. Now...the offer filled her with happiness as she nodded and said, "I'd love to."

"Really?" Whether truly surprised by the response or simply ecstatic that it was indeed a 'yes,' Yang's smile grew. "I mean, that's great - I can't wait. To try out some more chapters with you. And maybe, I dunno, we could grab something to eat before that? I know I just ate, but I'm starving again."

Now the invitation was for dinner and a chapter or two - basically, Blake's dream date. With her dream girl.

"I'd love to get dinner too," she answered, smiling when Yang's eyes lit up at the acceptance.

"Yeah? Then let's do that - just me and you. Those two can go hang with their boyfriends or something." Yang gestured with her head towards her friends, who were now talking amongst themselves, but still keeping a close eye on the interaction.

"That sounds really nice," Blake replied with another nod. In her head, she thought that it sounded very much like a date - just the two of them grabbing a bite to eat before hanging out at Yang's place - but she didn't want to put that word out into the real world just yet. Sure, they'd kissed several times already, but that didn't mean she should assume anything would come of it...

Except she was totally assuming something would come of it.

"We can go as soon as you're done with work?" Yang asked. "What time are you off?"

Unsure what time it currently was, Blake looked at the clock before saying, "In half an hour."

Glancing at the clock for herself, Yang frowned.

"l thought you worked until eight on Wednesdays." As soon as the words slipped out, Yang froze and turned back to Blake with a sheepish smile. "I mean, not that I'm keeping track of your schedule or anything…"

"I thought you studied until eight on Wednesdays," Blake admitted in return, waiting for Yang to connect the dots and then smiling when she laughed and shook her head.

"I tried to stick around until you left for the day."

"And I tried to stay late until you were done studying."

The two of them shared a look for a long time - one that was equal parts amusement and disbelief - until Yang finally chuckled.

"Well, we probably should've figured that out earlier, huh?" she commented before shaking her head.

"Yang -"

Looking towards the voice, Blake found that one of Yang's friends had finally grown impatient and was standing at the door.

"Sorry to bother," she said, sending Blake an apologetic smile before giving Yang a more pointed look. "But we have that...project...to work on, remember?"

"Righttt…"

Yang's response only made it blatantly obvious that it was a made-up excuse to call her back to the room, but she tried to play along regardless. "Sorry to keep you guys waiting. I'll be right there."

Satisfied with the answer, the girl nodded before ducking back into the room and closing the door. Chuckling to herself, Yang turned back to Blake.

"I should probably get back to them...before they drag me back in there."

Glancing towards the study room and finding the girls still waiting, Blake felt a small amount of concern appear spring into her chest when she returned her gaze to Yang.

"You're not going to...tell anyone, are you?" she asked, pointing towards the books in Yang's arms.

Any worry she might have had instantly disappeared when Yang scoffed.

"Please, and have to share you?" she asked before shaking her head. "l don't think so. I haven't been dragging my friends to the library every week for a year to _share_."

The answer made Blake inexplicably happy, even though she could feel that their current time together was drawing to an end. Their separation should only be temporary - a half an hour at most - but she found herself wanting to extend their conversation as long as possible. And, ironically, she kept coming up with more questions that would allow her to do just that.

"What will you tell them - about -?" she asked, gesturing to her mouth.

"Easy! I'll tell them I wooed you with my words. They'll believe that." When Yang smiled, Blake nodded - because she would also believe that Yang could walk up to a stranger and convince them to kiss her. Although that thought made Blake rather jealous at the moment...

"Uh, think we could do it again?" Yang asked, shifting the stack of books in her hands and playfully wiggling her eyebrows.

"Can't you woo me into agreement?" Blake teased, even though she knew she would agree no matter what Yang came up with.

"I sure hope so - do you want another inspirational speech?"

"Always."

Laughing, Yang straightened her posture and tried to look more regal, but when she opened her mouth to speak...no words came out. After a few seconds of silence, Blake raised one eyebrow in surprise.

"Uh…you just shouldn't wait to kiss people," Yang said. "Because you never know when your next chance might be!"

The speech was so inspirational, Blake found it hard not to laugh. Instead, she tried to maintain a stoic expression while narrowing her eyes in thought.

"Hmm…" she said while Yang hung onto her every word. "I think that one could use a little work...but I'm willing to agree in the meantime."

"That's all I'm asking for!"

Grinning, Yang leaned across the desk while Blake watched the somewhat-precarious books shift in her arms. Any further and Yang was going to spill them all over the desk, so Blake stood up and leaned across to meet Yang's lips before that happened. Pressing closer, Blake wove one hand through Yang's hair and secretly wished the kiss wouldn't stop - that they were back on that balcony by themselves.

But they were still in the library, so the kiss stopped far sooner than she wanted it to. However, Yang didn't move far away, and instead sighed against Blake's lips.

"I hope I'm not the only one wishing we weren't in the library right now…" she whispered before backing away and finding another trademark smile.

"You're not," Blake replied, watching Yang grin while she walked backward across the library to the study room.

"Wait for me when you're done?" she asked. "Like right here?"

When Blake nodded, Yang smiled and finally headed into the room, where her friends immediately hounded her for information on what had just happened. After setting the books down on the table, Yang started talking while sending glances Blake's way every few seconds.

For her part, Blake couldn't stop smiling. Even though she knew she should be a _little_ embarrassed about being caught kissing someone in the library, she couldn't wipe the grin from her lips. Every glance and smile sent her way only added to the warm glow in her chest.

Sitting back down, she picked up the thin aluminum case that held her most treasured belongings and tapped it gently against her palm while lost in thought.

She never would've thought that sharing this secret with Yang would be so enjoyable or rewarding. Not only was Yang engaged in the story, but she approached the living chapters in a way that Blake had never imagined. Yang wanted to immerse herself in the story and environments as much as possible - she wanted to understand what the characters were feeling, but she also wanted to _experience_ what they were going through.

Admittedly, Blake had always expected that this special gift would be reserved only for her, but…maybe there was something to be said for sharing those other worlds with another person. Instead of lessening the impact of the experience, Yang's approach made the chapters more exhilarating and fun…and Blake couldn't wait to do it again.

Smiling to herself, she slipped the bookmarks back into her bag for safekeeping - knowing she'd be using them again sooner rather than later. Based on how much she'd enjoyed those few chapters with Yang, she might never use them alone again.

But if she did, she was definitely going to follow the main characters into the midst of battle, through a hurricane, and further into the turmoil. Wherever these journeys took her, she would follow.

Because why watch, when she could experience?


End file.
